Link: Wings of courage
by MoonBell004
Summary: Saharry is a young girl who was kidnapped by the king of darkness. She plans her escape and eventually meets up with a boy who is actually a future legend.
1. Prologue Part 1: Phoenix

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of these characters. They are miyamoto's. I'm just borrowing them for a while

**Authors note**: This is my first attempt at a Legend of Zelda Fan fic. ) Its a twist to the Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time. I added some of my own characters in it to so its a tad different. There will be three parts to the prologue. They are already written, I just have to revise them a bit. I also finished the first chapter which will also be up. I hope you enjoy it so far. The prologue was a bit boring to me and it isn't really that great but I did my best at making it sound interesting . So please enjoy!

**Link: Wings of Courage  
**

**Prologue part 1: Phoenix**

_It's been a while since I told you what you meant to me._

_The day I finally built up the courage to tell you that I'm in love with you._

_I miss those days._

_The days that made me feel like I could do anything as long as you were near me._

_I miss the feeling of your arms around me._

_The warmth of your breath._

_The kindness that lit up your eyes._

_The tenderness of your kiss. _

_I miss it all._

_I want to be close to you once more. _

_I'd do anything for it. _

_Why did you send me away? _

_Why did you tell me to stay away from Hyrule? _

_I thought you would never again want to part with me. _

_I cry everyday, endlessly wondering if you'll return to me again. _

_I wait here countless hours of the day and night, longing for your embrace. _

_Waiting for you to give me the answer I've longed to hear come straight from your heart._

_I only wish for one answer and one answer only…_

"_I love you too…"_

Saharry awoke on her wooden bed, sat up slowly, rubbed her small eyes with her little fists and tried to see clearly through the light of day. She pulled off her covers and put her small, eleven-year-old feet inside her worn pink slippers. She walked slowly to the other side of the room, being careful not to trip over the nails that stuck out of the floorboards.

"Kouji!!" She yelled from her bedroom.

When she heard no answer, Saharry rushed out of the room, all the while calling for her fourteen year old brother. Her nightgown flew wildly behind her as she ran like a little imp down the hallway. Her long, light brown hair tangled into her mouth as she stopped at the doorway to the kitchen.

"Kouji!" She yelled loudly, even though he was only an inch away from her, setting the table for breakfast.

"You don't need to yell, Saharry, I'm right here. What do you want?" He set the blue plates and silver utensils onto the kitchen table cloth, then began to stir the steaming pot on the stove.

"We're out of anything that has to do with breakfast," Kouji explained after seeing the questioning glance from Saharry. "I'm making vegetable soup."

Saharry nodded. "Kouji…" She began quietly, "My ceiling is leaking again…"

Kouji stood there in silence, staring at the vegetables floating in the boiling pot.

"I'm sorry Saharry, but I'm afraid I can't have that fixed again. We can't afford it."

Saharry looked down at her ragged slippers and sighed. "But it's going to keep me up at night!" She cried in disappointment.

Kouji put down the wooden spoon he was using and turned to give his sister a stern look. "Saharry, I can't do anything about it! We don't have any rupees left to get someone to fix it!"

Saharry grunted, then crossed her arms angrily. "When daddy gets back, he'll fix it!" She then turned and stomped down the hallway, slamming her bedroom door.

Kouji had no reaction to this what so ever. He continued to stir the vegetables in the pot, which gave off the fresh scent of supper in the air, despite the early hour.

He seemed to be lost in thought, thinking about his regrets and pains. He had no heart to tell Saharry what really happened to their father. She was too young to know about him. He also promised his mother that it was not to be revealed to his little sister until she was old enough to handle the truth.

Three years ago, when Saharry was only eight years old and Kouji was eleven, their mother had been very ill, mainly because their father was gone.

For two years Kouji would help his mother while she lay sick in bed. He would make the journey to the Hyrule market for her and purchase bread and milk. He did it every week.

Kouji and Saharry's family lived in a field between Kakariko village and the market, straight through the Forbidden woods. It took about twenty minutes for Kouji to travel on foot and it was often quite dangerous without some kind of weapon at his side. Kouji came home a few nights with half-stolen bread and broken milk bottles.

"Kouji, oh sweetheart,"his mother would say as she threw her arms around her only son.

She would cry on his little shoulders and comfort him. His clothes would be tattered or burned and cuts and bruises would be spread upon his skin. He remembered feeling useless and unable to protect his own family the way his father had. He remembered the feeling of being pushed, shoved, and beaten by Hyrule's local gangs. He was never able to escape their grasp. They took what they wanted then shoved him home. Kouji felt terribly guilty for never fighting back.

"Give me your goods, outsider," the gang leaders would threaten. Kouji would shake his head and try to run, terrified of what would happen to him next. He would sprint down the alleyway to the gate leading to the field with all the strength he could muster. He then would fall flat on his face in tears. The group would call him a crybaby or a loser and push him down when he tried to get back up again. The right side of his face would be bleeding continuously and the boy would grab him by the arms, letting his followers punch Kouji rapidly in the stomach until he begged to be released. When they let him go he would hurriedly pick up the stuff that was left and run away from the market, never looking back.

When he arrived home his mother would always be proud of him anyway and hold him tightly, saying he was her best little helper. She'd cry and cry along with him and put the food that he brought back away while taking his hand to wash him up and put him to bed.

Saharry would stare wide-eyed at the scene with fear and worry. She was too young to understand what was happening to her family, and every time she asked questions, no answer would be heard.

"I'm sorry, mommy, I'm sorry, I just couldn't," Kouji sobbed.

"Shhhh, no sweetheart, it's okay…oh my darling I love you. You've done a good job."

She would comfort him until he was calm again, and then smile warmly as she lifted her little boy off the ground and tucked him into bed.

Kouji remembered a song she sang when he was a little boy, one that he would listen contently to and fall asleep with in minutes.

During the high notes of the song, his mother's voice would crack and she'd cough severely for a little while, then continue on with her usual beautiful voice. The song was in the Hylian language, so he didn't understand some parts, but it didn't matter so long as he could hear his mother's sweet, soft voice, even in his dreams.

He still remembered his mother softly singing that lullaby in his ear as he drifted to sleep…

Kouji dropped his wooden spoon when he awoke from thought. He quickly shut off the stove and cursed under his breath. Grabbing the oven mitts, he quickly lifted the metal pot off the stovetop, blowing on the burnt soup. He waved his hand furiously to get rid of the smoke that polluted the cool air.

Saharry came running down the hall dressed in a warm pink sweater and some warm slacks, stopping at the doorway to watch Kouji clean up the mess.

"You burnt our food again. I'm not surprised," she said with a little glint in her eye and a soft smirk. "It was our last, right?"

Kouji coughed and hacked as he gave Saharry an angry look. "It's your fault not mine," she said carefully in defense, walking toward the wooden table. She plopped down on one of the chairs and grinned widely, reaching for an apple on the place mat and eating it confidently.

Kouji took off his oven mitts and glared at Saharry as she continued to eat fearlessly. "Stop being such a smartass or I'll give you dirt to eat for supper."

"That's what we'll end up eating anyway," she said, giggling. "Now, what are you going to do, Kouji? Huh?" Saharry asked with more cockiness then usual.

Standing up to her brother wasn't all that easy. She'd often do it on accident and end up setting him off like a firecracker. Saharry rolled her eyes and chewed up the rest of her apple.

Kouji figured this was his sister's last straw, so he grabbed Saharry's winter coat from where it was hanging on the wall, then pulled fifty rupees from his rough jean pockets.

He stomped, fuming, over to Saharry's side and glared at her with his glowing golden yellow eyes. He shoved the items in her face and lifted her off the chair by her arm.

"Hey!" Saharry yelled. She dropped the last of her apple as he held her up to his face.

"I have an idea." He spoke softly yet dangerously. "Why don't _you_ get more food for us? Then we'll all be happy, right?"

"But it wasn't my fault!" She exclaimed.

"No, but it was your fault for being a smartass and making me angry." He shoved her toward the door. "Now go."

Tears began to roll down Saharry's cheeks, but she wiped them away quickly. She had never seen her brother so upset before, but the one thing her father had taught her was to be strong and not show any weakness by shedding tears. She did her best to fulfill her father's request, but in the meantime, Saharry couldn't help but wonder if there was something seriously bothering her older brother. She stood there stunned and unable to move.

Kouji began to clean up the mess then looked up to see if Saharry was leaving. "What are you staring at?! Leave!" He yelled.

Saharry jumped and ran out the door, pulling her jacket over her delicate body and grasping the rupees firmly in her hand. She slammed the door behind her and looked out into the dark woods at the beginning of its dirt trail.

Her brother never forced her to travel through the forbidden woods without an escort until now. Just the thought of walking near it made shivers run down Saharry's spine.

It was a cold winter day and sparkling snow covered the frozen grass. The small pond on the side of their house was frozen, the water looking like a crystal mirror. The air was so dense that she could hear the whispering of the winds and the soft sway of the trees.

Their house stood alone in the cold.

The two lived in a small meadow with their mother where only a few trees and shrubs were placed delicately in its surroundings. The only way out of this peaceful field was through the Forbidden woods. Saharry remembered stories being told by her teacher in school one day. Sightings of the undead, wolfos, and evil lurked through the forest grounds. She would scare Saharry and her classmates so much that none of them would be able to sleep at night, knowing horrible monsters like that roamed free in the area.

Saharry hesitated as she stepped slowly off the front porch, looking around with a worried expression upon her pale face. As she neared the woods, she peered through the blackness beyond the bare trees.

"This…doesn't seem so bad," she said to herself, walking slowly into the dense forest. Hot air rushed out of her mouth as she breathed harder and harder, her heart beating faster with every step she took.

Cautiously and carefully, Saharry ventured through the woods, her long brown hair constantly getting snagged in the tree branches and twigs. She'd hear distant noises that weren't familiar to her. Everything seemed different and it made Saharry want to turn and run.

What was this place? Were she and Kouji the only true mortals who walked trough these woods? She couldn't help but wonder.

Frightened, she picked up a large twig, thinking it might help her if something decided to jump at her. But all was quiet.

Suddenly, a squirrel bounded out from the bushes and crossed the dirt path to get to its tree. The sudden motion made Saharry scream and run widely down the path.

After ten minutes of sprinting, she slowed to a stop at the edge of the forest. Nothing could get by her now. She was able to relax a bit.

"Yes…I'm almost there…" She panted, leaning over with her hands on her knees.

She used what energy she had left to run down the rest of the strange and winding path. Following the trail wasn't as easy as she thought. Every step she took echoed loudly throughout the entire forest. She didn't want to be heard by any creature that didn't want her near its home.

Soon enough, the trees lessened and the sky became more clear and visible. The field was only five feet ahead. She was practically home free.

When she finally emerged breathlessly, a large red bird shot out of the tall trees, brushing its talons against Saharry's head. Her winter hat was swept right off and was now in the possession of an unknown species that looked to be a phoenix.

Saharry ducked and covered her head, scared half to death. She looked up, panting and nervous.

_Was…__was that…a phoenix? _She questioned internally as her eyes widened.

"Eh?! Hey! Give me my hat back!" She yelled, almost out of breath from her scare. The bird, of course, did not listen, though it did turn its magnificent head.

Saharry stared straight into the bird's yellow eyes and an intense pain ripped through her mind. She groaned while covering her head with her hands. It felt as if a thousand knives had been stabbed into her temples.

"God…what was that?" She asked out loud, flinching.

The pain subsided when the bird was out of sight. Saharry looked toward the gates of Hyrule castle as a light sheet of sleet began to descend from the sky. It was deathly quiet. The fields were completely bare from the cold weather. Everything was icy white. It was beautiful.

When the pain ebbed completely, Saharry trudged toward the entrance of the market.

"This day is getting weirder and weirder, but…maybe I'll run into mother here," she said to herself.

Saharry walked carefully yet hastily toward the castle. It was too creepy outside the gates, especially since no one ever actually _walked_ through the fields of Hyrule. The only way to go was on horseback.

Saharry hoped with every ounce of her heart that she'd be able to complete Kouji's ridiculous task.

She hastily walked toward the gates and trudged swiftly through the market.


	2. Prologue Part 2: Panic

**Authors Note**: Ok, this is the second part to my story. This really isn't my favorite part and I had writers block the majority of the time I wrote it but I did my best. This will probably make more sense in the next part.

Also! I'd like to say thank you to MissMyrtle360 for editing my story! Shes a good friend of mine and inspired me to write my own fan fic. She's an amaaazing writer and she has a few fan fics of her own. I recommend you read "Swept Away: The Life and Times of a Girl Pirate" and "Twisted roses". Both are wonderfully written and very good! I love them both! They are both Harry Potter fan fics. So Harry Potter fans, if your looking for a great fic to read, read those.

Well, thank you so much for reading my fic. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Prologue part 2: Panic**

Two guards stood still as stone as Saharry passed. Cautiously glancing at each one, she followed her way through.

Music was playing and the town was in major chaos. She watched the citizens of Hyrule hustle about with grocery goods and rare items. The auction houses had opened and shouts and yells could be heard from the bidders.

It was a rather violent part of town. Children ran around like little uncontrollable animals. Men and woman of all shapes and sizes hurriedly bought the items they needed throwing rupee after rupee to the shopkeepers.

A crowd of Hylian's made their way across the cobble-stoned sidewalks, meeting up with old friends and family. Others were around the local bar drinking and smoking at their will.

Beyond the village lay the castle and there lived the princess.

Saharry had always longed to live the life of a princess. She wanted extravagant and luxurious things and to always be waited on hand and foot. Besides, if _she_ were the princess, she would actually show her face once in a while.

No one knew what the princess was really like. If she showed herself at all, it would usually be on horse back with her caretaker, Impa. She was such a mysterious and rather rude girl – she never even showed her face to her own people. Saharry felt she'd make a better princess then her.

Saharry shook her head to snap herself out of the daydream and turned away from the castle, admiring the markets energy. She loved Hyrule market, and once she set foot here, she never wanted to leave.

Her first destination was the food market.

A jolly man named Uncle Byrn owned the food market. Every one loved him, even the dogs and cuckoos. He was a heart-warming man, and the best cook in Hyrule.

As Saharry made her way to the shop across town, she noticed it seemed more crowded then before. "Everyone must be out shopping today," she whispered to herself.

Saharry gazed up at the sign above Uncle Byrn's food shop, not noticing that a young girl was running straight towards her.

The girl collided with Saharry. She was startled and confused as she looked up at the red headed girl whose curls framed the sides of her tanned face. She had a perfectly formed body and beautiful, innocent, emerald eyes. Everything about her seemed exhilarating and elegant. She turned around to look at Saharry, dropping something as she did so.

Saharry caught a glimpse of it as the girl turned around swiftly to snatch it back. It was a glittering gold hairpiece with pink lace around its edges.

The girl glanced at Saharry then, ran away with lightning speed. "W-wait!" Saharry called, picking up the trinket. She tried to catch up with the girl, but she was too fast.

Suddenly a mob of Hylian guards rushed passed her, knocking her over. "Where do you think you're going?! What were you doing sneaking around the castle?! You have no right to be here!" One of the soldiers yelled.

Saharry watched the scene as she lifted herself back up, grasping the golden hairpiece tightly in her hand. _This must be really important to her, _she thought as she stared at the hairpiece with interest. _I'll make sure to give it back to her later. _She smiled thoughtfully, then frowned. She hoped the young girl wasn't some kind of pesky criminal.

"Comin' in, Saharry?" A familiar voice asked. Uncle Byrn was holding the store door open for Saharry to wander in.

* * *

The shop had a musty smell of meat to the right and a sweet sugary smell to the left. It was the tidiest shop in town with walls that looked like creamy frosting. Everything here was delicious and professionally made. Saharry always smiled at the passing children's eager faces as they stared into the enormous window across the room.

Slipping the gold hairpiece into her purple coat pocket, Saharry smiled at Uncle Byrn. She made her way to the front counter as Byrn picked up several brown boxes off the floor.

"So! What's it ya' need to be gettin' today?" He smiled as he hoisted the boxes above his shoulders. Saharry was amazed. "And where's yer devil of a brother this evenin'?"

Uncle Byrn was always so peppy and happy all the time. Usually Saharry and her family would come here and get free delicious food from Uncle Byrn because of what little amount of rupees they had. He was, after all, the most famous chef in town and made tons of money through his shop. Why wouldn't he be so happy? But on top of that, he was the most generous man in town and the most acknowledged.

"Kouji…uh…sent me to buy more food because he burnt our supper at home."

"So he sent ya' out here on yer own now, did he?" Uncle Byrn said in his strongest Irish accent. Saharry nodded. "Well now, I think I got a special treat for ya' here…now where did I put it…?" Byrn scratched his head while searching behind the counters. He gave a hearty laugh then pulled out a large frozen turkey from a white crate in the corner.

Saharrys eyes lit up. It was massive! Her smile grew wider as she jumped up and down like a little kid who just got her first ice-cream cone. "Thank you so much, Uncle Byrn!" She exclaimed. "Kouji will be so happy!"

Uncle Byrn gave his famous chuckle as he patted Saharry's head with his giant hand. He lifted his brown leather hat off his oily dark hair to wipe the sweat off his forehead. "Glad ta' be of service to ya'!" He winked. "Well, I best get back ta' work. Have a safe trip home, Saharry, and don't be gettin' in ta' any trouble."

Saharry nodded and picked up the heavy box containing the turkey off the counter, unhooking the clear rubber straps to carry it around her shoulders. She waved goodbye to Byrn and thanked him as he saluted her. She smiled, then turned to leave.

"Oh!" She yelled, whirling back around. "Wait! I forgot to pay! I can't keep getting food for free all the time, right?" She frowned, digging into her pocket to pull out the rupees Kouji had lent her.

Uncle Byrn turned toward Saharry. "Ah, don't be botherin' with it, lass. I got it covered." He smiled blissfully. "It's my special treat for ya'."

Saharry smiled back, showing all her pearly white teeth, then sobered when a thought entered her mind. "Um…Uncle Byrn?" She began, stepping to his side as he began to clean the counters.

"What can I do for ya', Saharry?" He asked.

"Did…did you see my mother at all today?" She wondered with hopeful eyes.

"Ah! Yes, I 'ave, Saharry, now that ya' mention it. Matter a' fact, she jus' came in a short while ago. She's got a beautiful smile." He said, his eyes staring off dreamily. "Jus' like yours." He tapped Saharrys nose gently.

Saharry smiled and thanked Byrn once again as she slipped out the shop door and back out into the crowd with the heavy box on her shoulders.

* * *

"I have to get this to Kouji before it goes bad," she said to herself. "But…I wanna find mother first…" She hesitated and pondered the thought. "It won't take long," she concluded.

Saharry skipped happily down the road with the box of meat wrapped around her shoulder. As she neared the gate, a tall man in white clothing bumped her shoulder, causing her to drop the wrapped turkey. He seemed to be heading toward the gate.

She hurriedly picked it up before anyone saw it and brushed her shoulder off. A dog began to sniff Saharry's light brown boots and whined. She impatiently pushed it away, thinking it wanted her food.

"Shoo, stupid dog," she mumbled, irritated.

Saharry looked back over at the man in white clothing and figured that if she got close enough to him, she'd be able to see what he was up to.

The little dog followed as Saharry carefully and slowly knelt down and crawled behind the guard post near the gate. She peeked around the corner to get a closer look.

She noticed that the man's white jump suit had an orange rabbit symbol on the left shirt pocket. He wore brown sandals and a large yellow bracelet around his wrist. The pale, skinny man held out a letter toward the two soldiers at the gate. Saharry realized that he must be the postman, the only one in Hyrule who delivered mail once a week.

"Thank you…" The solider said with an unsure tone to his voice. The other guard walked next to the one holding the letter. He lifted his helm as the postman jogged away, eager to deliver the rest of his letters.

Both of the solders had a look of terror upon their faces as they read the letter carefully. They looked at each other, then one of them called out to the watchtower to close the gate. Saharry gasped and ran out of her hiding space. The little dog yelped.

"No! No! Stop! What are you doing? I need to get back home to my brother! Stop!" She yelled.

The guards all lifted their helmets for a better view of the girl. "I'm sorry, young lady, but we can't let you out." The guardsmen hesitated and looked deeply into Saharry's blue eyes with grief. "Hyrule is in danger. We'll be under attack in a matter of minutes. The king had sent this letter telling us that no villager is to leave the area." The soldier standing next to the one with the letter looked at him as if he shouldn't have told such a young girl this information. He continued. "I'm very sorry you have to hear this, but don't worry, we will all be okay, so stay calm and don't startle the villagers."

Saharry's body grew tense and her heart began to race. What was going to happen? Was she going to live? What about Kouji?

_He doesn't even know about it! _She thought. "I have to find mother!"

Saharry turned around almost immediately, hearing the creaks and squeaks of the old wooden gates as they closed. As she raced down the streets of the village, nearby dogs began to yelp and bark and the sky began to turn gray, threatening the village with either rain or snow.

Saharry pushed forcefully through the crowds, all the while yelling for her mother. "Mother! Where are you?! Mother!" The people around her looked indignant at her shrieks. A big lady and her dog passed, by glaring darkly at Saharry. After being given that look, Saharry lowered her voice and tried her best to calm herself.

"Mother!" She called one last time. She looked around her and searched every part of town. A raindrop fell suddenly upon her tiny nose. It began to sprinkle.

Saharry lifted her hands and felt the water wet her mittens. Villagers unsheathed their umbrellas and began to walk home while others stayed where they were, hiding from the rain under brightly colored awnings . Children jumped barefoot through the newly formed puddles. Saharry scanned her surroundings, desperately hoping her mother would soon turn up.

"She has to be here somewhere. Uncle Byrn told me she was…" She breathed.

After what seemed like an endless search, Saharry stumbled upon an old woman in dark clothing holding an umbrella for a beautiful young woman. The young woman's hair was light auburn and she wore what seemed to be a yellow shawl over a maroon colored dress. That had to be her mother! She saw her in bright clothing this morning!

Saharry raced for the young woman, completely out of breath.

"Mother!" She shouted, running into her mothers back. She squeezed her tight as if it was the last time she'd see her.

"Saharry darling?" Her mother was startled and confused. "What are you doing here all on your own?" She knelt down beside her daughter wiping Saharry's newly fallen tears away from her rose colored cheeks. "What's wrong sweetheart?" She asked with a concerned look.

"Mommy, you have to listen to me, please!" Saharry shouted anxiously. "Hyrule is-"

"Such a pleasant day out, isn't it Lelia?" An old hunched back woman with a long purple shawl wrapped around her neck and a green basket around her arms interrupted. She was an ominous and eccentric-looking woman with long, straggly hair and a red rose pinned to her apron.

She wandered limply over to Saharry's mother.

Lelia rose to her feet. "Well, Gertrude… it's, um, raining…" She laughed a bit and then smiled faintly with discomfort.

"Mother!" Saharry shouted again.

"Um…sweetheart." Lelia began. She leaned into Saharry's ear. "Please let me talk to this nice lady. She's been helping me out with my shopping today. I'm very pleased with her. So please give me a few minutes, honey, and we'll talk later." She smiled a brighter smile. Her cheeks were almost as red as her daughter's.

Saharry shook her head as her eyes widened. She couldn't believe this was happening. Hyrule was in grave danger and her mother wanted to take her time and talk to an old woman who was practically dead?

The strange woman took her mother by the hand and complimented her on her brightly colored dress. Saharry's mother was pleased. They both slowly began to stroll down the cobblestone pathway towards the castle. The old woman turned her head and narrowed her eyes at Saharry over her shoulder, smirking.

It was completely intimidating. Saharry was very disturbed by the sleazy look in the old woman's eyes. She knew that she wasn't good at heart, but she couldn't stand there like an idiot and watch her mother walk away from her, so she followed them hastily.

"Mother! Please!" You have to listen to me!" She yelled.

Her mother turned around immediately, confused by Saharry's outburst. "Okay, okay honey, what's so important, sweetheart?" She knelt down again and brushed her silk hands across Saharry's cheek. It felt so reassuring.

"I –"

"You know, it's really rather rude to interrupt grown-ups when they're talking, young lady," the old hag said wryly. Saharry glared angrily at the woman. Whoever she was, this woman was suspiciously trying to stop her from saying what she needed to tell her mother. The smug expression on her face didn't help matters.

Lelia stood up. "Oh, I almost forgot to introduce you Saharry. This is Gertrude, sweetheart. I met her a while ago at Byrn's food shop." Lelia gave a warm smile.

Saharry grew anxious but curtsied before Gertude.

"Pleasure," Gertrude said darkly. Her nose wrinkled as if she had smelled something foul.

"Mother, please!" Saharry broke from her curtsy and grabbed her mother's arm. "Listen to me!" She shouted, ignoring Gertrude's renewed look of disapproval.

"That's no way to speak to your mother!" Gertrude barked angrily. "Now run along and play while your mother and I have a grownup talk." She snickered in a satisfied way.

"Um, it's okay Gertrude. It's perfectly fine. Uh, honey…" Lelia hesitated. "I'll only be another minute." Her soft voice was too much. Saharry began to shed tears. She didn't want this to be the last time she heard her mother's voice.

"No! Hyrule is going to be under attack! Mommy, please! We need to go find Kouji!" Saharry wiped her little eyes and her stomach began to feel queasy.

Gertrude looked startled. "Nonsense." The old woman chuckled. "Hyrule hasn't been under attack in years. And it will never happen again," she replied quickly.

Saharry's mother winced at the thought "Now…wait a minute Gertrude," she began softly. She knelt down again to Saharry's height and put her baby-soft hand on her daughter's shoulder, appeasing her whimpering. "Where did you learn this, sweetheart?"

Saharry continued to whimper as she looked into her mother's soft eyes. "The guards at the front gate got a letter! I saw them today, mother! They said no one was allowed to leave the castle grounds or village until it is safe to do so. Mommy, Kouji doesn't know!" She yelled fearfully. Again, she wiped tears from her eyes.

Gertrude tried to be convincing as she crossed her arms. "Oh, I'm sure it's nothing."

"No...if Saharry says it's true, then it is." Lelia said, ignoring Gertrude's remark and standing up to look toward the closed gate. "I need to leave, Gertrude. I'm sorry. It was a lovely evening." She lowered her voice. "And…I don't want to take any more chances…"

The old woman had a look of malice upon her face. Flames lit up in her eyes.

"Mother?" Saharry asked as her body shook with fear.

"Saharry, please stay here with Gertrude. I need to get your brother." Lelia's gentle look made Saharry want to follow.

"Mother, no…" Saharry whispered, trembling. She reached out her arm and touched her mother's hand. "You can't leave me, mommy," she cried in a childish voice.

"I promise I'll be back," Lelia said reassuringly. She held Saharry's hand gently before walking away.

* * *

Lelia rushed through the crowd and stopped at the gate. The guards turned her way. They were still holding the letter.

A soldier dressed in white uniform walked toward her confidently with a smirk on his rugged face. "What can I do for ya', beautiful?" He flirted as he leaned his hand against the brick wall. Lelia clenched her fists then grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt, forcefully pushing him against the closed wooden gate.

"I demand that you to open the gate this instant!" She exclaimed.

Silence swept over them for a moment. Then the solders burst into a powerful laughter.

"Are you kidding me, lady?! Haha! You'll get killed out there!" He laughed harder as Lelia held his collar tighter. "Besides, it's the king's orders!" The men breathed deeply as their laughs subsided.

A feeling of resentment swept through Lelia. She was going to get out of here one way or another. Her eyes narrowed. "Then let me die," she whispered softly enough for only the one guard to hear.

He swallowed hard as his eyes grew fearful.

"Y-yes ma'am," he stuttered. "Uh - uh – open the gate, men!" He shouted. At first they thought he was joking, but when he shot a serious look to the man next to the lookout tower, he nodded and shut the door behind him.

Even though the gaurds were risking their jobs, they knew that the beautiful woman in front of them wouldn't take no for an answer.

The gate creaked slowly open, revealing the silent fields. Everything looked dead and a majority of villagers stopped to watch the scene. Lelia loosened her grip and let the guard go, then slowly walked across the mote as the gate fully opened. She then burst into a sprint and ran desperately away from the castle.

* * *

In the mean time, Saharry watched teary eyed as her mother sped away, dropping her box of meat. She didn't want to stand here and do nothing, so she attempted to take off after her mother.

Gertrude reached her bony arm out and wrapped her long, narrow fingernails around Saharry's wrist, pulling her back. "No darling, it's too dangerous for you to be running off like that. Your mother will be fine. Stay here with me, where you'll be safe." Her pointy nose leaned against Saharry's cheek as the old hag covered her mouth to keep the little girl from screaming.

Gertrude laughed like an old witch, smirking in a satisfied way. Saharry struggled with all the strength she could muster, but her screams were merely muffled.

"Stop struggling, you little rat," Gertrude said in her hoarse voice. She gripped Saharry's wrist tighter.

Saharry broke free from the hand on her mouth. "No! Let me go!" She yelled.

Meanwhile, the guard that had been captivated by Lelia's beauty walked towards an empty crate near the castle fountain facing the crowd of villagers. Somehow, the word was out that the great Ganandorf had returned.

"Here ye! Here ye!" The soldier cried, raising his arms in the air. "Everyone stay calm and listen to my words!" A crowd of nervous people huddled around the guardsmen, trying to calm the crowd.

Gertrude snickered as Saharry squirmed. She wrapped her bony fingers around the girl's mouth again. "Shut up, girl," she hissed.

"There is no need for panic, my fellow villagers! This is only a precaution. Our information isn't always correct, so calm down and search for a temporary shelter. I promise, we will all be safe!" The guardsman backed away and let his arms fall to his sides. Saharry watched him.

He seemed very dubious about what he had warned the villagers about, as if he knew something that no one else did.

The soldier walked back to his post and remained in his stone like position.

Panicked people hurried to find shelter. Everyone broke out in worry and frightened conversation as they gathered all their loved ones together to hide for the restless night. Children were crying, men and women were yelling for their friends and family, packing up all their belongings in case they were evacuated. One little old woman was calling for her little dog in the corner of the entrance to an alleyway.

Saharry struggled harder, then kicked Gertrude in the shin, effectively breaking free and running as fast as she could through the crowds of panicked people.

Gertrude screamed in agony, hopping up and down and holding her little leg in anguish. "Get back here! You – you – ARGH! I hate being old!" She cussed under her breath in Hylian.

_Who is that lady…and what does she want with me?_ Saharry thought to herself as she raced toward the wooden gate.

She was worried something might have killed her mother already. She had nothing to protect her and she didn't want it to end this way. A worried expression appeared upon her face.

The gate that had been left open began to close again. Saharry was just about to make it through when a guard grabbed her by the hood of her winter coat, pulling her back. "Where do you think your going, huh?"

"Let me through!" Saharry fought hard, but the guard held tight.

"Oh sweetheart, come to grandma!" Gertrude had a fake, disgusting smile on her wrinkled face. She slowly limped toward the guard. "Oh, thank you for finding my baby!" She hugged the guard, her little old body pressed against the man's chest. He looked confused.

"Is this your grandchild, ma'am?" He asked, politely pushing her off.

"Oh yes! Come here darling! Ohhh." She hugged Saharry tightly.

Saharry couldn't stand this anymore. "I don't even _know_ you! Get off me!" She kicked her in the same spot and broke free. Gertrude wailed again. The birds in the trees flew from their nests as panic still covered the village.

The soldiers attempted to grab Saharry by the arms but failed. She slipped free and raced for the closing gate. She kicked a nearby guard in the stomach and began to cross the gate across the mote. It was so steep that she ended up climbing the boards instead. It was almost half closed when Gertrude recovered, attempting to do the same as Saharry.

The young girl held on tightly, praying she'd make it to the top without falling.

"Come back here!" Gertrude yelled angrily. "You won't escape me, girl! I need you!"

Saharry didn't understand what she was talking about, she searched for words that made sense. Crowds of people stopped what they were doing and watched the scene in horror.

"A little girl is climbing the closing gate!" One villager yelled, pointing.

"And that little old lady is too!" Another one exclaimed.

The people watched in awe at the scene taking place before them. Saharry was inches from the top.

The soldier in the watchtower spotted the little girl climbing the gate and panicked. He slowly began to reopen the gate to let her down.

Saharry screamed, slipping as the gate jerked downward. She held on tightly, closing her eyes. Then opened them to Gertrude's alarmingly ugly voice.

The old woman reached out toward Saharrys leg. "If I weren't so old I'd have you in no time!"

Saharry gave everything she had and pulled herself quickly over the edge, falling a few feet from the top.

"No!" Gertrude yelled. She slipped down to the cobble stoned street again. The Soldiers raced to her side. "This wasn't supposed to happen! Get away from me!" She yelled, pushing the guardsmen away from her.

Saharry fell directly on her side and closed her eyes as a twinge of pain thundered through her right arm. Her wrist cracked. She winced but picked herself back up again. She fought back tears as she began to run.

_How could mother leave me with that-that woman! _She thought to herself.

She ran without stopping and without looking back. The only thing she saw as she held her wrist gently was the phoenix she had seen earlier. It sat watching her in a dead tree next to the forbidden woods staring with sharp eyes. It was smaller close up and its body was oddly colored. It spooked her a bit but it wasn't her concern at the moment.

This was a moment she'd never forget. She needed her family and she needed them more then ever. It was all she had now and looking at the dead, white fields everything seemed to stand still. Something was wrong and everyone knew it.

Her life was changing by the minute…

* * *

**End Note:** Ok, so part three is coming soon so please bare with me! I'm not exactly happy with the first two chapters since their pretty rushed but I did my best! It will start getting interesting next chapter I promise.

MoonBell


	3. Prologue Part 3: Death

**Authors note: **Ok, so I was so busy with school it took me forever to post the last part of the prologue. I promise, it won't be this slow once the summer hits.

This part also gets a bit interesting. Like I said, the prologue was the most boring for me.

Chapter one is currently being edited and will eventually be posted. Thanks for reading my story. Its difficult but I think it's coming along quite well .

* * *

**Prologue part 3: Death**

The wind was howling and a light, icy rain began to fall. The soil was soft from the blankets of puddles that covered the earth. The trees seemed to whisper an eerie song of warning.

Saharry had no time to think and no time to look back. She hastily stepped over branches and rocks. Trying to avoid anything that attempted to stand in her way, she called anxiously to her mother hoping to hear an answer. Her wrist throbbed in pain and she began to cry silently, not just out of fear and pain but also out of the sudden shock of her young life falling apart before her eyes.

As she neared the center of the woods, Saharry heard an ear splitting scream. She jumped at the sound, then raced unconsciously faster and prayed it was some kind of ugly creature and not her mother. The thought left her with a twisted feeling in her stomach.

Icy cold Tears streamed down Saharry's freezing cheeks as she struggled through the obstacles of the woods. Rain that looked like small, white toothpicks falling through the trees. The scream continued to echo through the silent air until time had stopped at that very moment.

Saharry's run turned into a slow walk, then she stood still…

Her eyes fell upon something she would only see in her nightmares. She clenched her fists tightly against her sides. It felt like the life was completely knocked out of her. She could no longer move. The sight was unbearable. Her stomach was queasy and nothing seemed to make sense anymore. She wanted to die at that very moment.

Saharry collapsed to the ground, hoping among stars this wasn't real. She wanted it to all be a bad dream and make herself disappear. She continually shook her head with her hands over her eyes, praying she'd wake up.

Saharry's hands slowly fell from her face and she looked up at the body that lay lifeless and frozen on the forest floor. Tears continued to streak down her rosy cheeks. Her face was frozen from the cold wind and her body was paralyzed from shock.

Her mother was dead.

This place was dangerous but Saharry couldn't bring herself to leave because the person she loved most dearly had a new resting place now.

"Why? How?" She whimpered, crawling on her knees and snuggling her head into her mother's chest. She gripped her mother's bloodied shawl and cried harder.

An eerie silence crept over the forest warning her that Hyrule was no longer a safe place.

"Mommy…please…please wake up. Tell me your ok, come back…you promised…" She whimpered, her body trembling.

She slowly lifted her head off her mother's chest staring at the blood that thickened the mud underneath her knees. Saharry fought back more of her tears.

"I have to warn Kouji. I have to be strong." She whispered, her voice cutting through her deafening silence.

She stumbled to her feet trying to be as brave as possible as she moved forward slowly. Her body was tense and weak. She turned her head away from the dead body and began to run, telling herself she wouldn't look back.

* * *

The clock on the kitchen wall clicked and ticked as an unusual silence filled the house. 

_Saharry should have been back by now. _Kouji looked down at the newspaper he was reading to pass the time. _I hope I wasn't too hard on her, _he thought regretfully.

He sighed, lifting himself up out of the kitchen chair to make himself a second cup of tea. As he poured the hot liquid into his cup, Kouji felt a rumbling beneath his feet.

The pictures that hung on the wooden walls shook and the tea in the teapot vibrated. Then the rumbling stopped, leaving the only sound a whisper of the icy wind.

Kouji's eyes widened and he began to shudder.

"What was that…?" He whispered to himself.

A large thud hit the ground in the other room.

Kouji put the teapot down and inched slowly toward the hallway. His body continued to shake as he peered around the corner.

_Maybe its just Saharry trying to scare me_ he thought anxiously.

Sweat began to trickle down his forehead beneath his messy, jet-black hair. His heart pounded as sounds of abnormal footsteps dragged around the floor behind the closed bedroom door. "That's Saharry's bedroom…" He whispered cautiously.

Kouji's eyebrows tightened as he neared his sister's room. The thuds of footsteps became louder and more threatening as if the unknown figure knew Kouji was nearby.

Kouji knelt down to peer through the brass keyhole. He saw nothing.

The house was still too quiet and awkwardness filled the air. _Theres something here that isn't supposed to be… _He thought.

He looked around the room through the keyhole making sure it was safe, his sweating hands propped against the door.

_What's in there…?_

Kouji moved against the door and an immense yellow eye with black furry eyelids appeared before Kouji. Alarm filled his body, as he stood there unable to move.

"Shit-" He cursed.

The creature behind the heavy door roared with fury, clawing viciously at the wood. Kouji backed away almost immediately. His heart raced more rapidly. He yelled, backing up against the wall in the hallway.

The door was, by then destroyed and a tall, man like, wolf emerged from the shadows. It roared an inch away from Kouji's face, throwing saliva all over his clothes. The dark beast lifted its heavy claws in the air and thrusted its arm toward Kouji's quivering body. He dodged it and ran down the hallway back toward the kitchen, finding a fire had started on the stove near the teapot.

Smoke filled the isolated room and screeching bats appeared out of nowhere beneath the sofa knocking over lamps and the portraits on the wall.

"What the hell is going on?" Kouji bellowed. "This can't be happening!"

From behind him, the wolfo panted and drooled, yearning for a taste of human flesh.

Kouji turned around startled for a moment and backed away toward the front door and around the flaming fire.

The door already seemed to be broken from its rusting hinges.

He pushed down the busted door and climbed over the wood as fast as he could. The wolfo howled and began to break the furniture that still remained standing.

Kouji stormed down the porch steps and looked around to see if he could spot Saharry anywhere, but he saw nothing.

"I have to find her," he told himself anxiously. He grabbed a bulky wooden stick to use as a temporary weapon.

_How could this be happening again, no one is ready for this. Hyrule will be up in flames without any trained soldiers fighting back for our land. It isn't safe anymore…and there's no one who could possibly help. Saharry isn't even old enough yet…it's too soon… _Kouji's mind raced as he made his way through the snow into the woods.

His lips turned purple from the icy winds. The sleet that fell from the sky grew heavier and as Kouji looked behind him he saw his family's house burst into red flame.

Ganandorf's minions tore it apart.

He stood there for a while as if he wanted to say goodbye to all of the memories that burned away into ashes.

"I'm sorry father…" He whispered softly.

He then turned, leaving his burned possessions behind.

* * *

Saharry ran as fast as she could, whimpering in fear. 

_Kouji, please be okay…_she thought worriedly. _I'm almost there!_

Saharry glanced up to see the light shining through the wet, glistening leaves. It began to rain harder and a light mist covered the frosted ground. She made her way over the broken rocks and sticks being careful not to trip.

Suddenly, a roar was heard above the trees.

"Who's there?!" Saharry shouted, slowing down to see if she could hear any answer. "Please tell me who you are! I need help!" Saharry wasn't quite sure if that was a good idea. There couldn't possibly be someone alive other then herself in these woods.

She shivered a bit then slowly and carefully walked forward.

After walking only a few feet, a giant object fell from the trees and landed in front of Saharry on all fours.

It was heavy and must have weighed at least six hundred pounds. It had evil, heart wrenching eyes and enormous needle sharp teeth. Its dark, furry face was inches away from Saharry's, scaring her half to death.

A black wolfo stood before her. She had never been so close to one before and she had always prayed never to be. She felt trapped and figured this was the end of it all. At least she would be with her mother now.

The wolfo snorted in Saharry's face and a warm breath of wind pushed back her long, brunette hair. She was too petrified to move or even scream.

The wolfo surveyed her carefully, sniffing every part of her body. Saharry quivered and shook. It took one whiff of her sprained hand and it roared wildly with powerful force, as it smelled her blood, swinging its claws up in the air dramatically. They looked like five silver daggers flinging outward from its skin.

It gave a few almighty roars and plummeted its thick hand toward the floor, targeting Saharry's head.

This was it, the end of her sad, short life.

Saharry covered her head, and just before it struck her, it stopped, issuing and only a faint growl above her.

She was careful about opening her eyes, relief washing over her as she did.

From behind the beast emerged Kouji, panting, as he let down a splintered piece of wood that stretched across the wolfo's head. Saharry gasped.

"Kouji! You're okay!" She shouted, running to him with open arms.

He dropped the stick and the wolfo thumped to the ground, leaving only an echo reverberating through the woods. He grabbed his sister and held her tight.

"The wolfo is only unconscious. It takes more then a stick to destroy these things," he informed Saharry. He continued to hold his little sister in his arms.

"I thought you were dead too!" She cried burying her nose into her brother's corduroy jacket.

"Dead too? What do you mean by that?" He asked questioningly.

Saharry let go of Kouji and began to cry a little more. She wiped the tears off her chin then looked down avoiding eye contact with her sibling.

"Where's mother…" Kouji whispered. He got to his knees lifting Saharrys chin with his finger. "Tell me…what happened?" He asked softly.

Her face was dead. The tears seemed to stop and she looked at her brother with sympathy.

"Mother...um…"

"Go on…" He waited for her to answer.

"Mother's dead, Kouji…" She sobbed then held her brother tighter then ever. "She was killed! Probably by that wolfo!" She cried.

Kouji couldn't believe it. She was gone, and now he was left with Saharry to take care of alone. Not only that, his mother died on the same day his father had. It was December 18th. The very same fateful day the king of thieves had destroyed Hyrule's pride many years ago.

_This was planned, _Kouji thought, his eyes narrowing. Saharry buried her face into his jacket again.

"I'm so sorry, Kouji!" Saharry shouted. "I didn't know it would happen!"

Kouji held her tighter, comforting her as best he could. The icy ground stung Kouji's knees as he listened to everything she had to say.

Saharry told him the story from start to end and now Kouji had to get Saharry out of here before anyone who was looking for her found her. Kouji knew someone was after Saharry.

"Saharry…listen to me, we have no time. Our house was burned down by Ganandorf's followers and they aren't far behind. We have to find a way to escape, I need you to trust me," he said in an urgent tone.

Saharry released her arms from Kouji's embrace as he stood up, wiping the snow off his knees. "Escape where?" She whispered.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." He said as he grabbed Saharrys right wrist.

"Ow!" She yelled.

"What?"

"My wrist!" She cried.

"Did you injure it?" Kouji wondered with a gentle look in his tense eyes.

"Yeah…I forgot to mention that part. I hurt it when I tried to escape. I went off to find mother then tried to warn you and I-I tripped," she lied. "Kouji! What's going to happen to us!?" She yelled, changing the subject.

Kouji pulled Saharry close. "Nothing, I promise. Now, lets get out of here. Just stay close to me and you'll be alright," he told her. He began to pull her through the weeds and fallen branches.

"Wait!" Saharry yelled pulling back on Kouji.

"What!? We gotta go, Saharry!" Kouji said in a frustrated voice.

"We can't go that way…I can't see her like that again." Saharry closed her eyes as more small tears rushed down her little neck.

"Okay…" Kouji promised softly. "We'll take the other path out."

Saharry sighed in relief as she followed Kouji down the new and unfamiliar route.

* * *

Time passed slowly and walking through the woods for a third time around was getting tiring. Saharry wondered where Kouji was planning on taking her. 

"You okay?!" He yelled over his shoulder at her.

"I'm fine."

"Good," Kouji sighed. "Where almost out…just about ten more minutes and we'll make a run towards the Kokori woods."

Saharry nodded.

"I'll get you out safely, Saharry," he whispered reassuringly.

As they neared the edge of the woods, Kouji and Saharry had noticed dark clouds swarming overhead. The rain turned into a light sprinkle and the ground was muddy and wet.

Sounds of sharp swords clanging together with painful yells were heard from a distance.

"What's that sound, Kouji?" Saharry asked visibly worried.

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't sound good."

They both ran further ahead. Kouji suddenly grabbed Saharry by the hood and pulled her behind a boulder near the bushes, telling her to keep quiet.

They both sat still and stared out into the dead grasses of Hyrule field. It was burning further away and the dark smoke polluted the air.

"Kouji! The village and the fields! They're burning! Kouji! Everyone's dying! We have to do something!" Saharry cried.

"Shhh! No! We can't! Do you want to get us killed? Those beast-men aren't far behind us. We have to move quickly!" Kouji searched behind him to make sure no one was following them.

"Look!" Saharry pointed with wide eyes. "Who are they?"

Kouji squinted into the cloudy night. An army of women on horseback could be seen from a distance. They were dressed in orange and red Arabian clothing carrying arrows and swords around their shoulders and backs. They all at once raced for the castle shouting and yelling.

"They're the Gorudo thieves. The great Ganandorf's followers as well. They come from the desert, from the southwest."

Saharry looked up at Kouji, putting his hand in her own. Kouji watched the scene with shame and grief. The flaming field reflected in his eyes.

Saharry was terrified of the noises she heard from behind the castle walls. Men and women screamed in pain, swords slammed against skin and shields, and the roars and powerful shrieking could be heard from creatures Saharry couldn't name. It was the first time she was in the middle of a war against the Gorudo king and Hyrule. Everything her little eyes took in were horrifying and mind splitting.

The sound of death, sorrow, and despair filled the air. The people of the village were either dead, or still fighting for their lives.

The dark army of thieves raised their mighty arrows, flinging them towards the gleaming moonlight, Fires ignited at random, and the soldiers of Hyrule fought hard for their land once again.

Kouji closed his eyes, to take in the horror forcing him to recall a terrible memory from his past. The man known as the King of Thieves showed himself again. There was no doubt that he had returned.

Kouji opened his eyes and set them on Saharry.

"Okay, listen to me. We have to go…" He whispered. "We're going to make a run for the Kokori, woods okay?"

Saharry nodded, and at the count of three the two took off towards the woods, exposing themselves to danger.

The river ahead of them rushed with speed through a tunnel to the left of them. There used to be a bridge that lead to Hyrule castle but it was now destroyed and Saharry was a bit hesitant at this point.

"Kouji! I can't swim!" Saharry cried over the shrieks and yells throughout the field.

"Its okay! It's not that deep! You can stand!" Kouji shouted as he held her left hand tightly. "Trust me okay?" He smiled gently then lifted her into the water. "The currents are fast, but I got you!" He assured her.

"Everything will be okay!" Kouji said, his breathing becoming heavier as he struggled across the fast moving currents. Saharry held on tightly, trusting her brother like she was told to. She only had hope for the best.

Saharry's lips turned blue and purple. The water was freezing.

They made it to the other side, and Kouji lifted Saharry out of the water.

"Okay, the Kokori woods are that way!" He pointed. "All we have to do is make a run for it!" Kouji turned to Saharry and held her firmly. "Don't cry okay?" I'm right here!" He shouted.

They continued to run as fast as they could through the deep snow. The woods were in view and they had almost made it when a gunshot was suddenly heard from the distance.

"What was that?!" Saharry yelled.

A young woman raced through the darkness. She was shooting out beneath Hyrule Castle Town's front gate.

Her long, flowing blonde hair shimmered in the moonlight and Kouji had noticed a worried yet determined look upon her pale face.

She appeared to be riding violently on horseback and carried a small boy that looked a little bit older then Saharry tucked beneath her arms. She wore a long black cloak with a plain dark dress underneath.

She was riding across the fields toward the same woods Saharry and Kouji were headed for.

The woman turned to glance at Saharry and Kouji then continued to focus on her riding. She rode straight into the Kokori woods unharmed.

"AnnaBella…" Kouji whispered to himself.

"Kouji? Who was that?" Saharry asked.

"Huh? Oh! No one! Let's just go Saharry!" He yelled in reply.

He pulled Saharry into the middle of the field and ran toward the woods as fast he could.

Saharry smiled as they edged closer to their destination. She knew they would soon be ok. This really wasn't the end like she had thought it would be.

She stayed close to Kouji.

The war still raged on violently and people continued to fight for their lives under the cloudy night sky. All that could be seen was the fire and moonlight that stretched across the land.

"Ha! How pathetic!" A voice was heard a few feet away from the young siblings.

"I know that voice!" Saharry shouted as they slowed to a stop.

They looked around to see if anyone was nearby. "Who's there?! What do you want?!" Kouji shouted, protecting Saharry from an emerging figure in the firelight.

An old woman with a walking stick and a green woven basket stepped from the shadows. She crackled with malice in her voice. She wore a sheer smirk upon her face. It was Gertrude. Saharry wondered how a woman like her could escape such a battle.

"I'm so sick of being so old. It took me forever to catch up to you two," the old woman complained, huffing and puffing. She smirked evilly at the two children.

Saharry stepped behind her brother clutching his sleeve. "Kouji, that's the woman I was telling you about," she whispered. Kouji's eyes narrowed.

The old woman stepped forward and reached out her hand. Her nose wrinkled when she smiled and Saharry noticed her unusually bushy eyebrows plastered above her eyes. She looked worse in the reflection of the fire.

"You should know better then to run from me little girl." She snickered in her hoarse voice, then looked up at Kouji putting her long four-inch nails under his chin.

He yanked himself away. "Don't touch her or I'll rip you to pieces."

"Oh? And how may I ask do you plan on doing that boy? Hm?" Gertrude back up and spread her arms like a hawk. A sudden puff of smoke filled the air. Saharry hacked and coughed and Kouji lifted his hand to cover his mouth, squinting through the mist to see what had just happened.

A young woman that looked no older then nineteen or twenty emerged from the smoke. She had wavy jet-black hair, heavy makeup, and a thin figure. She wore a tight leather skirt and vest with long zip up boots. She carried daggers in both hands as well. A blood colored jewel hung around her smooth neck.

"You-you're Gertrude?!" Saharry shouted with disbelief. Kouji backed her away.

"You really are simple aren't you? That was just a pathetic disguise for me, since I'm so well known around these parts." She giggled. Her body lifted off the ground with great speed and teleported in front of Kouji. He was startled. "My name is Marlina," She winked. "Looks like I've finished my mission. You're mine, Saharry." She exclaimed darkly.

"What are you talking about?!" Kouji exclaimed.

"Well," she began. "I won't take her just yet. I want to play a game." She circled around Kouji. "Its called watch a loved one go to a _better _place." She smiled. "Don't worry Kouji…you won't feel a thing." She swung a dagger threateningly.

Kouji staggered back.

"No! You can't! Please don't do that!" Saharry yelled as tears welled up in her eyes. "I won't let you!"

Marlina glared threateningly at Saharry, lifting her hand. She shot a ray of green light toward the girl's shoulder, pinning her to the icy snow. Marlina snickered as she violently grabbed Kouji's neck. He couldn't breath.

"No…" Kouji exclaimed weakly. "Saharry…please…run!"

"I can't!" She shouted. "I won't leave you anyhow!"

Marlina ignored her and pushed Kouji against the cold floor, She cackling in enjoyment. She sat on Kouji's chest, her hands still strangling him. She raised her bloodied, sparkling dagger in the air. Her eyes turned red and her laugh unusually echoed throughout Hyrule.

Saharry broke free from the spell of light and rushed toward Kouji and Marlina.

"Get any closer, girl, and I'll stab him more then I intend to."

"No! Please!" Saharry cried. She wanted to run to Kouji and hold him. She felt helpless and scared, but she didn't dare move.

"Go…Go Saharry! Run away now!" Kouji shouted. But she didn't run. She didn't know what to do.

"I can't leave you here. Not like mother!" She yelled.

"Shut up! One more word from you, boy, and you'll perish!" She squeezed his neck tighter. Kouji choked. "You should be more worried about yourself right now." He tried to fight back but she was much too strong. It almost felt like she was made of heavy metal.

Marlina turned her head to Saharry. "As for you, little girl, we have plans for you." She glared.

From a distance, a dark horse rode through the fire. A large man in metal armor was upon it. He traveled toward the siblings and Marlina.

"Ahh, there's your ride to paradise, now Saharry," she said sweetly.

Kouji's eyes widened as he partly turned his head to see what was coming. "No…" Kouji whispered in fear. "Saharry! Run!" He choked.

"No! No! I won't! I won't!" Saharry screamed.

"Saharry! Please go! They aren't good people!"

"Shut up!" Marlina stabbed the dagger into the ground next to Kouji's face, causing him to jump at the threat.

The man on the midnight black horse rode swiftly toward Saharry. She tried to run but it was no use. He snatched her off the ground, throwing her to the front of the horse. The metal armor clanged as she listened to her brother's yells.

"No!" Kouji shouted after Saharry. He couldn't move. He couldn't reach her. He tried desperately but his body was numb.

"Kouji!" Saharry cried, reaching toward her brother.

She was now in the arms of an evil man. No words could describe him, and Saharry didn't know who he was. All she knew was that the last of her family had been taken away by this man and there was no turning back.

"Saharry!" Kouji cried.

A single tear rushed down the both of their faces.

As she struggled to see beneath the mans arms, She found Marlina raising her dagger high above her head. She plummeted it toward Kouji's heart.

Saharrys eyes widened as tears welled up in her eyes. She screamed. The man took his pale olive hand and placed it tightly over Saharrys mouth. She began to cry with panic. Her world was spinning in circles.

Snickering, the man's dark eyes glowed a bright red beneath his helm. She was surely in the arms of the great thief Ganandorf everyone so often gossiped about.

He had taken her away from the people she loved, never to see her home, family, or friends ever again…

Oh, the shame that bestowed Hyrule that day. If only time had stopped at that fateful moment of a loved one's death.

* * *

**End notes:** Woohoo! The prologue has ended and I'm quite happy. Link won't appear for a while but don't worry he's coming.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the prologue even if it was just a little bit. Please keep reading!


	4. Chapter 1:Three Years Later

**Authors Note:** I'm so sorry this chapter took so long. Actually, I wrote two more chapters that are currently being edited so they will be up soon. I've been extremely busy so I apoligize for that.

Anyway, this chapter is the first chapter of the story now that the prologue is finished. The story has a lot of characters I created in it, especially in the first few chapters. Link doesn't appear till around the 5th chapter possibly. I wrote up to chapter three so I'm getting there. I can tell you that all the characters from the Ocarina of time are in it, so don't panic. I added on to the story and changed it a bit but the plot of Link defeating Ganandorf is still the same. The areas they visit are also the same. I came up with this when I was young and I know it will be a lot to try to understand throughout the story but I hope you enjoy it anyway. )

* * *

_**Chapter 1: Three Years Later**_

It had been three years since Ganandorf decided to show himself after his great escape. It had a horrible ending. Thousands of soldiers had died and Hyrule never was the same again. Demons and monsters prowling the grasslands dominated most of Hyrule, so traveling was dangerous. Even so, the people of Hyrule had coped well with the changes. The market was rebuilt, heavier security was issued, and people learned to go about their day with caution and vigilance. But Saharry never was able to enjoy her time in the lands of Hyrule nor visit castle town anymore. Her life now consisted of work, work, and more work. Although, she didn't quite understand why she was kidnapped if all she was going to do was…well, work…

In her time of service, Saharry had developed more then she expected. She is more of young lady now and very beautiful with her long, brunette locks and her fair, sun kissed skin. Taken by the king of thieves that fateful night, she was imprisoned in a cell for almost a year when she was finally old enough to be crowned as one of Ganandorf's official servants.

Rule number one of the fortress: All young girls at the age of twelve may become a loyal and trusting servant to the great and most wonderful king Ganon until further notice.

Saharry suppressed the urge to vomit at the thought.

Rule number two of the fortress: All young women are to have only two meals a day consisting of bread and water. Soup will be served on Wednesdays. Any complaints will be disregarded.

Saharry almost threw herself off the cliff into the ocean from reading that one.

Rule number three of the fortress: If you are called by either Ren Greenstoke or Roy Isaac you are to obey at all costs and see the king immediately!

The rules were plastered on a wooden post in the corner of a hidden alcove. Saharry figured it was put there so someone could break a rule without noticing that there were any at all.

The last rule, well, wasn't exactly a rule. Someone by the name Nabooru had posted it.

Nabooru: DON"T SCREW UP! If you are to fail at your work or slack off, consequences will be met! You will answer to the king as punishment!

Saharry was bewildered that they defined Ganon as_ King_. The truth was that he was not. He was an evil bastard that liked to flaunt his power above all who watched, and if you didn't watch, then you're forced to. It was a pain and it was cruel, but this was Saharry's new life and she got quite used to it by the time she turned fifteen.

For after three brutal years of labor Saharry was renamed "Girl" and "Servant". Every time Ganon showed his pathetic face to the crowd of young girls who were kidnapped and forced to work like men, she wanted to blast a hole in him with her eyes.

Rumors said that he took only girls because he was planning to be some kind of sicko and "do them all in". Other rumors claimed that he was planning to create an all male kingdom where men made the rules. But that still didn't explain the Gorudo fortress being dominated by female thieves. Others figured since he lost his attempt to retrieve the triforce years ago, he was looking for the next piece and would only be willing to set the girl that had the triforce free.

Then there was the thought that the girl who owned a piece of the triforce would be captured and slaughtered so he could be one step closer to controlling Hyrule. And that rumor was the one that was widely talked about and believed.

Many girls hoped among the goddesses that he would find that girl so they could all one day be set free. They had lived here so long that they became so isolated in a land containing miles of desert sand. It was always ridiculously hot, and the only source of water was the ocean that leads to who knows where, and a well that contained supposedly fresh water for them to drink. Water was fairly limited because of the amount of people that drank from it. Basically they were all miserable and had dreams of seeing Hyrule once again.

The environment wasn't as bad as the socializing was. Most of the girls didn't get along and others kept their distance ignoring each other. They lived their lives in an invisible bubble. It was a you-cross-my-path-and-I'll-kill-you relationship amongst them. There were few girls that actually got along.

Every female had a partner with them and they lived in straw huts scattered across the desert sands. Saharry was lucky enough to have a loyal and outgoing partner. The only thing she had since she got here was someone to talk to, a best friend, it was something she never really had before. Her name was Corin.

Corin was the same age as Saharry. She was kind and fun loving and always seemed to make a rainy day seem like a sunny one. She was energetic and her mind was filled with curiosity. She could be described as a beautiful bookworm, if there was an odd way to describe her.

Corin quickly grew on Saharry and the two of them became best friends instantly.

* * *

They had met when Saharry was thrown in the dungeon as deep as twenty feet below. There was no way to escape and it was dark and damp. She was boxed into a sand pit with bars several feet above her head. She remembered the panic and the hurt it caused her. The feeling of being alone and scared. It took her hours to recover and she plopped down in the sand to wait for anyone to rescue her from this prison. A beautiful young dark haired girl emerged from the shadows minutes later, covered in shackles and chains

"Don't be afraid," the dark haired girl whispered softly. "I'm sure you won't be here long.

Saharry's silent whimpers subsided and she watched in confusion as the girl lifted her scrawny body off the dirt floor and moved closer to Saharry. The chains clanked and jingled as she gracefully walked forward.

"Don't worry." She began stroking Saharrys face while kneeling. "They won't hurt you. They just need to…borrow us…for a while."

That last line made Saharry feel worse. Too stunned to speak, she let the girl take her in her arms to stroke her bronze, glimmering hair.

"You have beautiful hair," the young girl complimented. "So silky and soft after all you could have possibly been through. You're lucky."

Lucky? Saharry didn't feel the least bit lucky. She would be lucky if this never happened. She would be lucky if she could have escaped. She would have been lucky if her family was still alive. But she could never be lucky being here.

"Ganandorf may be an evil man, but at least he gives us food to eat and clothes to wear," the girl whispered warmly into Saharry's ear. She continued to stroke Saharry's velvety hair. "My name's Corin. What's yours?" She wondered.

Saharry released a small whimper then sat up straight, her damp hair swaying across her chest. "I…I'm Saharry." She wiped the liquid from her eyes and tried to smile but failed.

Corin smiled delightedly. "Nice to meet you, Saharry. I guess we're in the same boat, so let's be friends. I'll watch your back if you watch mine."

Saharry hesitated as Corin held out her little hand to shake. "I-I guess I really don't have much choice, do I?"

"Hah, nope, I guess not."

They both laughed exhaustedly.

For the rest of their time in the cell, the two were only allowed outside of their cell once a week. For the rest of that time, they lived in utter darkness until they came to be the age of twelve.

* * *

Corin was happier once they were released. She always made work and chores fun no matter what. Saharry couldn't remember ever seeing a frown on her pretty little face. Her hair was long and midnight black and her eyes were pure violet. She had smooth tanned skin and a perfect smile. She was like an angel from heaven. 

Even though Corin was quite pleased with herself and others most of the time, Saharry wasn't sure if she was faking it or not. The reason why she thought this? Well, during the night Saharry was required to sleep on a pile of soft hay behind a shabby curtain. She'd listen to Corin cry tears of sadness. It wouldn't stop for hours later. It made her feel uneasy and she hoped Corin wouldn't feel entirely miserable the next day.

Fortunately, she never was.

Saharry never built up enough courage to ever question Corin's past or to ask why she always cried so much during the night. Instead, she kept it to herself.

Saharry was happiest when she worked with Corin. She'd watch as Corin tied her hair up with a pure white ribbon made of silk. It must have been something of value to her.

Corin was the risk taker and was extremely gifted in intelligence. Some nights, Corin would sneak from their hut and head toward Ganondorf's fortress to steal - or borrow, as they call it - books from his library and it read them on breaks, being careful not to get caught. Saharry was concerned about Corin's nightly trips across the desert grounds. At least, Saharry was relieved to know that she brought them all back the next night. So she wasn't entirely a thief.

When Saharry caught her sneaking out one night, Corin acted sincerely sorry and told her she needed to read something or life wouldn't be as exciting. Saharry sighed and let her go, but from then on Corin would ask Saharry to come along with her. When she turned her down, Corin would shrug and go off on her own. Saharry had to admit; she was a little worried about her, considering she was a close friend and all.

Every night they would tuck themselves into bed - since they were supposed to be asleep by ten - and talk all night about tons of different, creative escapes that they could hope to accomplish. And for once in those miserable years, Saharry didn't feel entirely alone.

During breaks, She would grab a bucket to collect apples and climb over the hill off to the East where the trees grew and the birds would sing. It was high above the ground and the breeze would cool her off. Saharry labeled it as her own secret spot. It was the only place known to man that any sign of plant life existed in the desert.

Saharry thought of it as a meditation spot. No one knew about it except for her and she was hoping to someday take Corin there as well. The view of the ocean was incredible and negative energy seemed to slip slowly away from Saharry's soul like a breath of fresh air whenever she was there.

What was in store for her? She couldn't help but wonder. Her life consisted of the hope of breaking free from her surroundings and one day run free through the lands of Hyrule once again.

* * *

"Hey! Rise and shine love dove!" Corin shouted.

Saharry could feel her breathing on her with a flashlight above her head, pointing it at Saharrys tired eyes. Saharry swished the flashlight away and sat up fuming.

"Get that thing away from me! What do you want?" She grumbled as she plopped her head back down onto her potato sack pillow. The flashlight found its way into her eyes again.

"Shhh, they'll hear you," Corin hissed. "What tiiimee is iiiittt?" She asked in a singsong voice.

"Put that flashlight down Corin!" This time Saharry grabbed the flashlight out of her hands and threw it across the room, as she squinted through the morning sun that gracefully stained the walls. "Its not even time for work! The sun just started rising and we have at least two more hours of sleep!" She exclaimed angrily.

Corin giggled and put her hands delicately behind her back. She rocked back and forth shyly. "Weeell, I thought we could get a head start and have a break early Huh? What d'you say?"

Saharry slowly turned her body around to face Corin. She lay there, staring, for at least two minutes with an indecisive look on her face. Part of her wanted to fall back to bed and go back to sleep, but the other part of her couldn't get over Corin's brilliant smile. She reluctantly gave into the second part of her instantly.

"I have no idea what on earth your up to but if that's what you want to do, I guess I'll go with you," she replied, raising her self slowly off her straw bed.

Saharry sighed and began to gather her work clothes and tools. She slipped on her dirty brown dress and tied her hair back with a black ribbon. Corin did the same, although the ribbon she wore wasn't as shabby as Saharry's.

Corin stepped outside to wait for Saharry, raising her arms in the air to stretch. Saharry wandered out of the hut as well with two shovels in her hand. She lazily gave one to Corin. Corin placed her shovel against the walls of their home, as well as Saharry's, and took Saharry by the hand, pulling her away from where they stood.

"You won't be needing that where we're going." She smiled.

"But -" Saharry was confused and looked back at her shovel as they walked away.

They walked a little distance and stopped near a cliff with a view of the sparkling ocean. The rising sun reflected off of the waters and the breeze was calm and warm. They sat upon a small cliff while Corin pulled out a couple of apples from her apron.

"Breakfast." she said softly, avoiding eye contact with Saharry. Saharry looked at the apple curiously. "What? Take it. It's not poisoned."

She held out her hand taking the apple, softly biting into it.

For a while, they ate in silence, listening to the ocean waves and watching the sunrise slowly on the horizon.

Saharry enjoyed the fresh morning air and enjoyed Corin's company. These kinds of moments were the ones that she wanted to record in her head and her heart. The kinds of moments that were so relaxing and precious that she never wanted them to end. This was moment number one.

"So…um…what exactly are we doing here so early? Saharry questioned, breaking the silence.

"Well, I thought we could take a moment and catch up on things and…uh…get in touch with our feelings?" Corin shrugged.

"Get in touch with our feelings?" Saharry asked skeptically, taking another bite of her apple.

"Well, yeah, I mean, we barely talk during the day because of work, and I thought it would be nice to, you know, come out here with you and have a casual conversation."

Saharry stopped eating her apple and sighed. She knew something was up. "No you don't." She threw the last bit of her apple into the sands below and stood up, brushing off her worn dress with her hands. "You're just trying to get me into a good mood. Your up to something," She told her, crossing her arms.

Corin stared at Saharry for a moment then sighed. "Fine, okay, you caught me, Saharry. I've been so bored lately! I wanna do something fun and crazy!" She exclaimed, pushing herself off the ground and twirling about. "I've decided that you need to get out more. You're going to Ganandorf's fortress with me. You have to trust me! It'll be fun!" She shouted with hopeful eyes. She leaned against Saharry's shoulders, pressuring her to say yes.

"Yeah, and fun can lead to trouble. Do you even know what the consequences are, Corin?" Saharry asked, shrugging Corin lightly off her shoulder.

"No, but I bet you don't either. It's not hard to get in. You're thinking too far into this, Saharry. I want you to have fun and do something crazy. You'll feel more alive after you've completed whatever mission we cook up for ourselves! I guarantee you'll love it!"

"I highly doubt it, and we aren't cooking anything up, so you can drop that idea, Corin," Saharry said coldly, walking away from her friend.

"Please, Saharry!" Corin shouted after her.

Saharry turned around and glared at her darkly. "Look, I've been planning an escape outta here since I arrived. I'm sick of you asking me and I'm not going to risk everything so you can borrow a couple books from his library! I don't want my life to end here, Corin, and you should be thinking about that too!"

Saharry turned away from Corin and sulked a bit, feeling rather guilty about raising her voice. "I don't even know why I'm here or what Ganandorf wants with us at all," She said softly.

Corin walked toward Saharry and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "No one does, Saharry," Corin whispered. "But I don't want you doing the same thing everyday of your life. I want you to see adventure! I promise you, nothing will happen! I cross my heart on it!" She yelled excitingly. "It's not like I don't have a reason to be there Saharry. And -"

"You might wanna pipe down before you get caught." An unfamiliar voice said from a small alcove in the cliffs beneath them.

It startled the girls. They slowly moved over to the ledge and peered over the cliff curiously.

Standing there was a boy who looked a year or two older then Saharry and Corin. Corin gasped and backed away from the ledge, closing her eyes tightly.

The boy had silver hair that reached almost to his shoulders. His icy midnight blue eyes created a strange contrast with tannish skin. He wore black thin leather armor with a long dark cape covering his back. Around his neck hung a red and gold pendant. He seemed to be very laid back and, in Saharry's eyes, was absolutely beautiful.

The boy walked out beneath the nook in the cliff holding Saharry's half eaten apple in his hands. He stared up at the girls with a serious look upon his face. He surveyed them carefully then watched Corin particularly.

"You're reckless, Corin. You were warned that if you did it again you wouldn't be off the hook. I'm not an idiot and I'm not your friend. Remember that," His velvet voice was very intimidating.

Saharry looked with surprise at Corin. Her stomach seemed to bubble. Saharry clenched her hands together as her mind whirled. All she could think was _Corin got caught? She lied? Corin never lies!_

"You lied to me?" Saharry yelled. "You were going to drag me into it when you'd already gotten caught?"

"Saharry, I can explain!" Corin yelled pleadingly. "Please hear me out!"

The boy watched patiently, staying out of the conversation.

"You know what, I'm sick of you trying to "have fun all the time"! I want a life of my own, no adventure, I want out of here and sneaking into a fortress won't get me anywhere!" Saharry shouted.

"It will help us!"

"How?"

Corin stopped and looked down at the ground guiltily. If Saharry wasn't going to hear what she had to say then she wasn't going to push it any further. She clenched her fists that turned to run back toward the hut.

Saharry felt terrible after what she had said to Corin. She had told her the truth, but she never meant to go that far.

Saharry turned to the silver haired boy and watched him as he watched her. He didn't look at all sympathetic, and Saharry figured he wasn't going to be anytime soon. He smirked and Saharry thought she heard little chuckle deep inside his throat.

For a while she stood there still as stone trying to figure him out, trying to make sense of what he wanted. He was a difficult person to read, so it was utterly impossible to know what he could possibly be thinking. Perhaps she thought he'd say something, or move at least.

"Well," the boy started, "You might wanna go after her instead of staring at me. Unless I've got something on my face, and in that case, you'd better tell me now." He gracefully took a bite of Saharry's discarded apple.

Saharry snapped out of her trance with his striking gaze. She turned to catch up with Corin.

"Corin! Wait up!" Saharry yelled from afar.

Corin kept on walking, her eyes in a staring contest with the ground. She felt guilty about lying to Saharry, and felt she was going to be angry with her for the rest of their lives.

Saharry sped up. "Hey!" Saharry reached for Corin's arm, pulling her back. Corin slowed to a stop but continued to stare at the ground. "We need to talk Corin." She turned Corin's chin to look into her violet eyes. "I'm not angry at you, so don't be afraid okay?" Corin fixed her eyes on Saharry. "Come with me…"

* * *

"So why didn't you just tell me the truth Corin?" Saharry asked.

"Because I was afraid of what you'd think. It's a difficult situation. I know where good friends and all but even friends have their secrets, right?" Corin replied.

"I guess your right. I mean, I brought you here didn't I? It was a secret of mine as well. But from now on, no more secrets, ok?" Saharry smiled.

"Ok, thanks Saharry."

"So, you were caught sneaking around Ganon's fortress by that one boy over there, right?" Saharry questioned.

Corin and Saharry sat among the fortress grounds in Saharrys secret spot. This was the first time that Corin had seen it, and she had been quite surprised that Saharry too had secrets of her own.

A small, glittering pond gurgled behind them as the fish splashed around. A statue of an eye was placed strangely next to it and the birds were freely singing as well. The air felt silky and cool. Saharry had taken Corin here to talk things over, and they were making a lot of progress.

"Nice secret spot." She mumbled dryly.

"Well, I wanted to show you that I have secrets just like you Corin." Saharry smiled, attempting to cheer her up. "So, who was that boy anyway, and why didn't he turn you into Ganandorf? Isn't he one of his apprentices?" Saharry wondered, as her feet dangled over the edge of the cliff.

"Yeah…that boy…is Ganandorf's apprentice." She hesitated. "He helps with all his dirty work and looks after us like a hawk. I'm sure you've seen him around sometimes, right?"

"Yeah…once or twice, but I never noticed how perfect he looked," Saharry whispered teasingly in Corin's face. Corin smiled.

"Haha, yeah he is, and he's also the nicer one out of the two apprentices here." She smirked a bit, feeling a little more open now and less angry with Saharry for lashing out at her.

"Let me guess, the other one is Ren Greenstoke right?"

"Yeah, it says their names on the rule board over there, but I assume you already knew that." Saharry nodded. "The one who caught me was Roy Isaac, and he let me go. I'm a lucky one, that's all I know…" She trailed off. "If it were Ren, things would have been different."

"And that's why I'm so angry and worried about you, Corin!" Saharry said, raising her voice, a look of worry in her violet eyes. She pounded her fist frustratingly on the grass.

Corin frowned and became silent, looking at the sky. "I steal - well, borrow those books in the fortress for a reason Saharry. They aren't just storybooks. They're secrets to our existence in the fortress, why we're here. For years until now I've been researching Hyrule's history to search for answers of what Ganandorf's planning. I read the history of Hyrule and what led to the massive wars and what Ganandorf is truly after! I'm so close, Saharry! I think if we find out what he wants, we can use it against him and escape! I need your help, Saharry!" Corin burst into tears and held onto Saharrys arm.

Saharry lifted Corin's chin and looked softly into her eyes. "Corin, I'm afraid Ganandorf will hurt or even kill us if we get caught…I don't want you or me in a situation as bad as that…"

Corin lifted herself off the ground and looked out into the horizon. "No, Saharry…he can't kill us…"

"And why not?" Saharry asked.

"Because…because…" Corin turned to Saharry, fists clenched. "Because one of us has a piece of the triforce!" Corin exclaimed.

Saharry was confused at that point. She didn't understand what she was part of or how that was possible.

"What are you talking about?" Saharry looked worried. "That's just a rumor…"

Corin got down on her knees and began to explain. "The triforce is a powerful symbol carved into the hero and heroin of time. Ganandorf obtained one piece when he escaped from abyss in the temple near castle town," She began.

"He attempted to steal the whole triforce many years ago but failed. After he was sent to rest in the temple of time, the prince was worried that Ganandorf might break free and steal again. No one was entirely safe." She paused.

"So, he broke the triforce up into three parts and scattered two pieces across Hyrule. They appeared on the hands of the two kids who saved Hyrule from Ganandorf the first time. When they stood before the prince one day they asked what the mark meant, the prince replied by saying that once they had their children, one of them would be bound with the power of the triforce for all eternity. They would be born heroes and become permanent protectors for as long as they lived. The third piece of the triforce was kept safe in the temple of time until Ganon broke free on the day the first child was born. He stole the first piece but is still desperately searching for the others. He wants to take over Hyrule and turn it into a land of demons and darkness." Corin said sadly.

"But…I'm afraid he already knows what girl has it, and those who don't have the triforce gift, he'd just keep here for his own advantage and turn them into killers. I'm not saying that's true, and I don't know if the books are wrong or right. So far, they're just legends. In order to find out I want to find his journal!" She exclaimed anxiously. "He writes down all his plans in a red book on the table in the library. It's exposed for anyone to take. I wanted it so badly but I - I was caught before I could snatch it! I want to know more, I want to know who he wants, Saharry!" She grabbed Saharry by the hands with a please-believe-me sort of look on her face.

"But Corin, if any of those legends were true, then wouldn't one of us have a symbol on our bodies somewhere?" Saharry questioned, scanning her arms and legs.

"It's probably hidden. Maybe there's a way to activate it. The only way to find out is if we steal Ganon's journal. Its bound to have tons of information in it!"

"But, wouldn't he notice it gone?"

"I'll make a decoy!" Corin said excitedly. "I'll make one and we can put it in place of the original. I'll read it and find out what we need, maybe plan a better escape for the two of us while I'm at it, then put it back before he even finds out!" Corin smiled excitedly. "Oh Saharry! We'll get through this! It'll work! I know it!"

Saharry wasn't entirely sure about any of this. All this knowledge was so overwhelming that it seemed almost impossible, just like the pretend escape plans Corin and her would whisper every night. It just didn't make sense. She never noticed anything powerful about herself, so it couldn't have been her who had a piece of the triforce. Beside, her mother wasn't the type to fight off such a powerful king as Ganondorf. Perhaps her father could have been, though.

Saharry looked down at her hands curiously hoping she didn't have some weird tattoo of a triforce plastered to her skin. She didn't know how to respond to all of this.

"So you want to borrow more books and a journal to find out the theory of the triforce, right?" Saharry questioned hopelessly.

"Exactly. I've been trying to find something like it forever but never had any luck until the day I found his journal sitting alone on a coffee table next to a red chair. I want it so bad, Saharry!" She almost shouted. "You have to help me!"

Saharry had to think about it for a moment. She pondered the fact of knowing she might be the heroin Ganon was after. She wasn't sure she even wanted to know in the first place. What if they were caught? Or seriously hurt? Saharry was nervous about it all but agreed to help only because she was her best friend.

* * *

**End Notes:** I hope this wasn't too confusing. Please comment on my story The next couple chapters should be up soon! 


	5. Chapter 2: Firelight

_**Authors Note:**_ I'm sorry this chapter took so long. I finished five chapters already. My editor has been super busy this summer and hasn't gotten a chance to edit a lot. She's at band camp right now and I'm not sure when the next chapters will be up. I'm still typing up more chapters so they will be nice and ready when my editor gets back and when she has more free time. I still hope you'll be checking for updates though. ) Link doesn't appear till the sixth chapter I'm sorry to say but the fourth and fifth chapters are very short.

Well, I hope you enjoy chapter two!

* * *

_**Chapter 2: Firelight**_

The next morning, Saharry woke up extremely tired. The two girls had been up all night discussing their plans to sneak inside Ganondorf's fortress. Tonight was the horrific night that Saharry would experience a break in that she, for the first time, would be involved in.

Saharry still felt uneasy about Corin's plan to find the book that Ganon kept his thoughts in. It was dangerous yes, but it seemed to mean a lot to her friend.

The two went on with their chores, ate lunch together, and had a normal day as if the plan had never existed. Neither one of them talked about the long, restless night to come.

* * *

Saharry raced to the window of their hut and scanned the horizon. The sun was slowly falling and the stars were beginning to peek out from the heavens. Saharry gulped as she broke into a cold sweat just thinking about their little adventure to come. The whole thing suddenly seemed completely ridiculous, and she would have done anything to back out of it if it wasn't for Corin. 

Corin was calmly sweeping the outside of their hut as Saharry grew more anxious. She stormed out of the hut and grabbed Corin's shoulders, startling her.

"Corin!" Saharry looked uneasy and her face was tight with concern. "Please tell me you're not going to go through with this. Please tell me you've changed your mind."

Corin watched Saharry's eyes carefully, then smiled. "Saharry," she began, "You're not scared, are you?"

Saharry looked down at the ground, her face visibly worried.

"You have nothing to be afraid of. I've done this before, and I know what I'm doing," she said calmly, brushing Saharry's hands off her shoulders.

"Butyou were _caught_!" Saharry shouted. "I don't wanna do this Corin…"

"Don't wimp out, Saharry. It's almost dark and you promised to help me. Don't you want answers?" Corin asked.

Saharry nodded and turned around, sulking back inside the hut. Corin continued with her work, whistling a little song of hers.

Three blonde girls brushed by Corin and laughed at her. They gossiped in whispers and Corin stuck her tongue out at them. Saharry sat by the window and watched.

"Girls here are so cruel. They must be extremely insecure if all they do all day is gossip and giggle," Saharry said to herself in a bored tone. She sat by the window waiting for the sun to finally wave its last goodbye for the day.

* * *

Night had finally arrived, and the crickets could be heard chirping through the bushes. The two girls were struggling through a supposed shortcut Corin had found one night during one of her sneak-ins. It was a long, narrow pathway strung with leaves and ivy. 

"Corin? Are you sure about this?" Saharry asked, trembling with sudden fear. The bushes and short trees were hard to squeeze through and Corin was going way too fast for Saharry to keep up. She kept getting smacked with twigs and bushes. "Please slow down," she pleaded as another twig whipped her in the face.

Corin ignored her, holding Saharry's hand and whisking her through the trees.

"This isn't exactly my idea of a shortcut, Corin!" Saharry hissed loudly.

Corin shushed her and pulled her to the floor. "I'm sorry, but this is the only way. Now quit complaining!"

Saharry shut her mouth and watched as Corin raised her arm to push back the remaining bushes in front of them, revealing the Gorudo troops standing guard of the fortress. Saharry gasped loudly, forcing Corin to cover her mouth.

The girls saw a creeping figure upon a balcony of the fortress. It was Ren and a girl Saharry vaguely recognized. The former looked completely evil and intimidating with his features thrown in the shadows the firelight gave off. The female guards below him turned to watch as he lifted his arms with a grin upon his pale face.

"Hear me now, thieves of the night! My father's and my faithful companions!" He began.

"Is he giving a speech?" Saharry whispered to Corin.

"I don't know…shh."

The women watched lifelessly. The tiki lights were lit, surrounding them in faint lighting. The night air invited a smooth and silky breeze in, and the sky was a deep sapphire blue. The dirt from the ground was swept lightly over the Gorudo's silk slippers as they listened by a slight breeze.

Saharry had never noticed before, but Ren was as beautiful as Roy was. He looked so high and mighty atop the fortress balcony and his black, messy hair blew lightly against the warm desert wind. His eyes were dark and narrow and his clothes were black and red with chains spilling from his pant pockets, a pocket watch on the end. He wore bangels around his wrists and armor plates hid his broad shoulders. His ears were both pierced with silver. He was pure evil alright, and beside him stood the woman that had slain Saharry's older brother three years ago - Marlina.

She hadn't aged since the incident, and the sight of her was unbearable.

"Corin…that's the woman who killed him…" Saharry whispered, staring at Marlina as if in a trance.

"Killed who?"

"My brother…" Saharry said softly. Corin held Saharry's hand tighter. "Corin?…" Saharry asked slowly. Corin nodded. "Whose Ren's father?" She already new the answer but wanted to hear it from Corin.

Corin hesitated. "The man who controls our world."

"Ganon…" Saharry whispered, finishing Corin's sentence.

Ren's shouting voice pierced their whispered conversation. "You have all done well today! My father gives you his thanks and you shall all receive your pay by the end of the week." He bowed arrogantly to the crowd in front of him.

Saharry clenched her fists as she tried hard to stop herself from attacking Marlina. Of course, it would be a foolish thing to do, but she had never wanted revenge so badly in her entire life.

Corin looked at Saharry and then back at the scene. She seemed to be chanting something under her breath.

"Now, I myself have work to do…" Ren paused and looked around as if searching for something. His gaze landed for a moment on the spot where the two girls sat hidden. Saharry and Corin both gasped and ducked lower beneath the bushes. Corin continued to whisper to herself.

"Do you think he saw us?" Saharry asked frantically. When Corin didn't answer, Saharry asked, "What are you whispering?"

"I'm praying," Corin said in an eerily calm voice. Saharry became very uneasy by these words. "Do you know how to use a dagger, Saharry?" Corin asked.

"Well…sort of. My brother taught me how to protect myself when I was younger, but I might have forgotten all of his moves by now." It was painful to recall the days with her older sibling, but the things he had taught her could come in handy, just as he had said years ago.

"The guards are never out this late…well, at least not this many. It's almost as if they're waiting for us." Corin paused. "There's a hole on the right side of the fortress that we can easily crawl through. If we're careful, we can sneak past the guards outside, but we may need to get a little rough on the inside. The fortress may look cruddy and dirty, but once you get inside, it looks like a newly built castle. You'll see." Corin let go of Saharry's hand and began to crawl through the bushes, slowly exposing herself. "Follow me," she whispered over her shoulder.

Saharry didn't have enough time to say anything to Corin. So she did what she was told and followed her.

They stuck to the shadows, making sure not to be seen. They cautiously tiptoed across the right side of the fortress, then, sprinted to some boxes on the side of the fortress walls. Saharry tripped, letting out a faint yelp. Corin grabbed Saharry by the arms and dragged her behind the boxes. The two girls huddled there and waited for any Gorudo to search and find them, but no one came.

"You're a lucky one," Corin whispered.

"I'm sorry, Corin."

"Don't be, just be more careful now. We're heading inside." Corin pointed to the short steps that lead to a moat and a lone crate up against a wall. "Okay, right down those steps is a shallow moat and hole behind that crate that you can fit through. Wait for me on the other side, okay?"

"Why do I have to go first?" Saharry asked nervously.

"Because I want to keep watch and if I'm seen, you'll be safe." She smiled.

"That's thoughtful of you." Saharry said sarcastically.

"Don't worry, no guards patrol what's on the other side of this wall, so you'll be safe."

Saharry nodded.

The two girls made their way down the sandy steps. Corin pushed the crate over, revealing a tiny and claustrophobia-inducing hole.

"You're kidding me, right?" Saharry asked, looking over at Corin.

"Nope. It looks small but you'll fit in fine," Corin said confidently.

Saharry wasn't going to argue. So she got on her knees, bent her head low, and slipped nervously through the hole. She held her breath the whole way through.

Corin looked over her shoulder, and then slipped in after Saharry.

On the other side, Saharry helped Corin up as she brushed the dirt off her dress, admiring her surroundings. The ceiling was low and it looked as if the entire part of the fortress was made out of mud and sand. It felt like she was in a life size sand castle.

"Okay," Corin began. "There's a library inside of Ganondorf's fortress. It's not far from here." Saharry listened without a word. "All we have to do is follow this hall straight down to the right and through the large doors to the next room."

Corin lifted her dress up to her thighs and unsheathed two mini daggers. She placed one in Saharry's hand. Saharry gulped.

"Be brave, Saharry."

"This is completely insane…" Saharry whispered under her breath. She's never seen Corin look so determined before.

Corin stepped forward and looked both ways. She waved for Saharry to come and they both stepped up to two large metal doors. "Okay, get ready. I don't know how this will go, but we need to stand our ground."

"I thought you knew what you were doing, Corin," Saharry hissed venomously, panic overtaking her again.

Corin glared at her. "I do, but I decided to take an easier and unfamiliar route this time."

"What?" Saharry was furious now. Corin didn't even know what she was getting them into.

"Relax, we'll make it through, I promise."

Saharry grew more anxious and nervous and broke into a cold sweat. She breathed carefully and slowly, trying her best not to make a sound. Thinking about what would happen if they were caught, Saharry decided that she definitely did not want to find herself in that position, especially if they were caught by Ren, or even worse, Ganondorf himself.

Saharry also tried hard to remember how to wield a dagger. She forced herself to recall her brother's moves, every turn and twist of his muscular body sweeping across Hyrule field. She began to remember the twist of his hands and the force he put into every blow. She remembered those days, those days when the meadows of the Hylian kingdom were safe.

Saharry held her dagger close to her heart as the two of them walked through the metal doors and into a fire lit corridor. Corin carefully shut the doors behind them.

A loud creak of rusty metal echoed through the hall. Saharry and Corin stood still as stone for a moment and held their breaths, hoping and praying no one had heard that.

When they finally felt it was clear, they grabbed one another by the hand and slowly began to move forward down the damp, torch lit hallway.

As they walked, the crumbling of stone and other creepy sounds embraced them. Saharry shook out of coldness and fear, her eyes wildly searching her surroundings.

As they neared the end, hands still clasped together, the crackling light of the fire faded away. Corin and Saharry peeked around a sharp corner.

"We're on the balcony," Corin whispered.

The balcony was a few feet off the ground. Up above them, wooden boards hung from the ceiling to the other side of the balcony. There was a ladder in the middle and many Gorudo thieves patrolling the room. A bonfire in the middle of the cave-like lair was about ready to disperse because of the leaking stone ceiling above.

There were about ten thieves patrolling the cramped room, all of them silent.

"I don't understand why there are so many thieves here. Usually when I come, there're almost none," Corin whispered, "They must be expecting us." She went into deep thought.

"Maybe we should turn back, Corin. This isn't safe," Saharry said timidly.

"No way!" Corin exclaimed softly. "I'm getting that book even if I _do_ get caught!"

Saharry raised her hand against Corin's mouth but Corin pushed her back. She looked down at her feet and realized that Corin was willing to do anything for answers, even if she died trying. Saharry would have to support Corin, if only because she knew her best friend and close companion would do the same for her.

Saharry sighed, then, looked back down at the beautiful-yet-intimidating thieves who seemed to be marching in a perfect square around the poorly lit fire. None of them said a word. The only Gorudo left out was a tall, thin, tan young woman with long glimmering red hair. A giant red ruby protruded from the top of her head, holding up her long auburn locks in a ponytail. Her lips were wide and exaggerated and her eyes were golden and cat-like. She wore clothing of pink silk fit for an Egyptian princess. She had velvet slippers that fit comfortably around her perfect sized feet and a golden lining at the bottom of her puffy pants. Her abdomen was exposed and her large jewelry swayed as she fidgeted in her throne-like chair. She looked sleepy and bored and to Saharry's surprise, she held a weapon in her right hand.

Saharry nudged Corin and pointed toward the elegant beauty. "Who is that, and why is she armed?" She whispered.

Corin's eyes widened a little and pulled Saharry back behind the wall. Corin panted, as her heart seemed to be racing faster. "That's one of Ganandorf's most faithful followers, besides Ren and Roy, of course. Her name is Nabooru, and the weapon she's holding is enchanted. See the glow around the blade?"

Saharry nodded. "So what do we do now? Plummet off the balcony and kill them all?" Saharry whispered jokingly.

"There's no other way. We have to get to those metal doors across the room and we have come too far to go back now," Corin said, seemingly frustrated at Saharry's lack of seriousness. "Follow my lead."

"What? No! Corin, come back!" Saharry shouted at the top of her lungs the second before Corin exposed herself in front of the thieves. She quickly covered her mouth with both hands, realizing that she had made a terrible mistake.

Corin's gaze darted quickly to Saharry, then back to the guards, all of which had stood up upon hearing Saharry yell. "Hey! Over here!" She shouted, waving her arm around. "Yeah, look at me!"

All ten Gorudos, including Nabooru, the silk princess, looked up immediately towards the balcony. Nabooru became immediately disturbed and shouted what sounded like an order in a language Saharry didn't recognized. Saharry's hands were still around her mouth as she hid behind the wall. Her eyes were shut tight in horror.

"You want a piece of me?" She heard Corin shout.

The Gorudos slowly unsheathed their long curved swords and glared at her. "Come and get it." Corin's eyes narrowed and glowed red. She pounced off the balcony landing straight on her feet.

Saharry had never seen Corin act like this before. She stood still in her place behind the wall, watching her best friend rush into battle alone.

* * *

_**End Note:**_ I hope you liked this chapter! ) My editor was anxious to know what happens next. I hope you are too! Thanks for reading! - 


	6. Chapter 3: A Temporary Escape

**Authors note: **Hey everyone!

This is the third chapter to my story. I have six done but since school started again I haven't had the time to do anything including my editor. I'm really sorry that it's going so slow.

I'm also getting an interview to go to Japan for four months so if I go then I won't be able to update till I get back. I'll be sure to try my best to get three more chapters updated before I leave. I also am hosting an exchange student right now so I've been extremely busy.

Don't stop reading and I hope you like this!

* * *

_**Chapter 3: A Temporary Escape**_

Corin unsheathed two daggers from the straps around her thighs. She stood with her legs spread apart, spots on her hands glowing with a strange aura.

The daggers turned into similar blades the Gorudo thieves were carrying. They were golden with red and blue rupees embedded in them. The blades were the richest silver Saharry had ever seen and she knew that those beautiful pieces of work would soon be stained with blood. The battle was about to get dirty.

Corin dashed at the speed of light, charging toward the small cluster of heavily armed women. Two gorudo's came forward, stretching their arms out in front of them, focusing on knocking Corin out with a blow to Corin's head. Corin stopped them by crossing her arms with her blades and pushing the two women back onto the ground. She did an amazing front flip and stabbed them viciously into the stomach.

As Blood sprayed everywhere, Saharry flinched. Two more Gorudos came at Corin with their sharp weapons beside them. It was a battle to the death, and Saharry felt helpless and too scared to do anything to help.

_There's no way Corin will win. There's too many of them! _Saharry thought frantically.

But every time a Gorudo came bravely forward they would be killed in seconds. One after another was defeated by the young girl who had once seemed so innocent. Corin was an expert swordsman and every swing and move she made was graceful and exact.

The battle dragged on for about ten minutes before all of the Gorudos had all dropped one by one to the floor in pools of blood. The only other person was left sitting on the throne.

The fancy looking one, Nabooru, sat in her place looking calm at the scene. Saharry couldn't tell if she was grinning or frowning at the sight of Corin because of the gauzy pink handkerchief that was lightly wrapped around her mouth.

Nabooru stared Corin down and Corin did the same as she huffed and puffed from her gruesome efforts.

Suddenly Nabooru's still eyes shot up toward Saharry's hiding place.

"Show yourself," Nabooru said in a calm, deep voice.

Corin made no movement as Saharry trembled out of her hiding place. Corin's eyes never once left Nabooru's as the red in them began to fade to her natural color.

Saharry slowly appeared in front of Nabooru who still seemed surprisingly calm. She shook with fear as Nabooru's tanned finger gestured for her to move closer.

"Come here," she said menacingly.

"Don't move!" Corin exclaimed loudly. Tears began to fall from her brave eyes. Saharry ignored her and climbed her way down off the balcony and moved toward Nabooru slowly and hesitantly. Something about her made her want to obey her orders. Corin stopped her as she continued her staring contest with Nabooru.

"You're pathetic" Nabooru whispered, her voice emotionless. After that, a rush of silence filled the air.

Nabooru pulled out a device from her silky pink pockets that Saharry had never seen before. The Arabian princess held up her arm, aiming the device toward the ceiling. Corin's eyes narrowed and her fists clenched tightly around her weapons as Nabooru pressed a red button and a long chain shot out from the top and clinged to the wooden plank above her. She released the button and was swiftly pulled from the ground, falling into an alcove in the wall. Nabooru looked down at Corin sternly then glanced at Saharry. She turned around and disappeared running further into the alcove without another sound.

Corin stood still as stone as the tears slowly began to stop. Saharry thought she could see a tint of red through her angry eyes. She didn't know whether to make a move or stay where she was. After a while, Corin eventually collapsed to the ground and Saharry rushed to her aid. She grabbed on to Corin's delicate arm and helped her up. She then escorted her to a broken bench, carefully stepping over dead bodies and puddles of blood in the sand. Saharry flinched with every step she took.

She set Corin down carefully and held her closely.

"Corin…why did you do this? They'll find out what happened for sure if they see the bodies lying around. Plus Nabooru –"

"Don't…mention her, please. Not now." Corin shut her eyes tightly and rested against Saharry's shoulder. "It was foolish of me to rush in. It doesn't matter though because we'll be long gone before they find out."

Saharry gave her a questioning glance. "There's no way we'll escape so soon…"

"Have faith in me, Saharry. I promise I will protect you." Corin sighed as silence filled the air once again.

"What…are you Corin?" Saharry asked carefully.

"I…" She coughed. "I'm sorry Saharry, I never told you who I truly am." She blinked up at Saharry and then tried hard to lift herself back up off of Saharry's chest. "Please don't be angry with me, Saharry. I wasn't sure what you'd think of me if I told you." Corin sighed again pausing for a moment.

Saharry grew anxious and wondered what her close and only friend was hiding from her. "What is it Corin? You can tell me anything." She gave Corin a warm smile.

Corin looked down at the back of her hands and began. "My life…wasn't what you think it was." She hesitated. " I lived with my only brother, Helik, near the deserts only oasis, not far from this fortress. My brother worked for Hylians in the Hyrule castle as a servant to the royal family. He was only nineteen on the day he died and I was your age Saharry."

"But I thought you-"

"Please, Saharry, don't interrupt me." Corin continued, "My brother was always very bright and took care of me very well. My parents had died in the last war Ganondorf started, so my brother decided to raise me all on his own."

Saharry listened patiently. What Corin said about her brother reminded her of her own brother.

"My brother was a master swordsman taught by, believe it or not, my mother."

Saharry was surprised at this but continued to listen.

"My older brother showed me how to wield a sword so I could protect myself. I started learning when I was four and grew up learning martial arts at a dojo in a place called Clock Town.

"One evening, during my daily training, we were informed that my mother had died and my father as well. They fought side by side for the Hylian's freedom even though one of them was of the Gorudo race.

"It was offered to me to live with my aunt in the Gorudo fortress. I could tell it wasn't a good place, but I was very young then so I didn't have much of a choice.

"The man who had asked us told my brother that he was not able to go with me since the Gorudo fortress was only meant for women. When my brother heard this, he forced the man away and told him to never return again. I knew that even if my brother could follow me, he wouldn't have allowed me to go. My brother hated the Gorudos and hated what they had done to the Hylians. The Gorudos were considered the dark side to my brother and he rarely spoke of them.

"We thought we were safe and lived our lives normally for the rest of our days together. Eventually we moved far away from the desert and lived in Hyrule castle town. My brother was still frightened I would be kidnapped so that I could stay hidden inside, he built a dojo for the both of us to train in.

"Soon enough my strength and agility rose to a level my brother could not explain and I was able to defeat him in matches day after day. Then, one morning while practicing I discovered I was able to use powerful magic that was beyond explanation, the same way my fighting skills were.

My brother couldn't teach me to control it himself since he had no magic of his own, so I taught myself how to control it. After three years went by I was able to master my strength, magic, and body. My brother became quite proud of my success." Corin gave a slight sigh and shook her head slightly, as if she was disappointed.

"When Ganondorf came around unexpectedly, when all the girls were kidnapped that evening, he shot my brother in one blow with an arrow lit on fire and I lost him." A tear fell from Corin's eye and Saharry moved closer to comfort her. "I was then taken here where I met you."

"I…I have no idea what to say," Saharry said at a loss for words. This is a lot to take in. I always thought you were Hylian not a Gorudo. But it's ok Corin, I understand. I really do," She said calmly.

"No you don't!" Corin pushed away from Saharry and stood up crying harder. "What you don't really know, Saharry, is that Nabooru is my aunt! She was the one who requested Ganandorf to bring me back to my clan! She wanted me to follow in her footsteps and become the leader of her tribe. Not only that, she wanted me to follow in Ganondorf's footsteps as well, I'm sure of it!" Corin exclaimed. She wiped her tears. "And…and I'm not exactly all Gorudo…I'm only half. My father was Hylian, that's why we sided with them. My mother was shunned from the fortress when she fell in love with him."

"So…Gorudos aren't allowed to fall in love?" Saharry asked.

"No, they aren't Gorudos reproduce in an odd fashion. Gorudo tribes of men who live to the east of here are married off to Gorudos from this fortress and the one near Clock Town. They are required to have children and then are separated at their birth and put in their place. When a Gorudo is married they do not live together, but instead are sent back to their rightful home. It's how they keep themselves in order. Gorudos were built by Ganon to fight and kill. They are his puppets that will help him control the world some day. It's shameful and pitiful. I would never drop to the level of the Gorudo tribe." Corin crossed her arms and paced back and forth.

"So why do they live separately?" Saharry asked. She didn't want to upset Corin so she picked her words carefully.

"They live separately because our king thought that the men were capable of doing certain things and the women were capable of doing another. It's the way things turned out. I don't know exactly why because I'm not part of it myself."

"You can count on me to protect you still, I will make sure they don't take you away from who you really are, Corin. I promise," Saharry said thoughtfully. " I have one more question though."

"Yeah?"

"How did your parents meet?" Saharry asked shyly.

Corin laughed a little. "You ask the strangest questions in the strangest places," She said as she looked around the room.

Saharry blushed a little. "Sorry"

"No…its okay. Yes, it was romantic. I like the story myself. It was sneaky and mysterious." She sat back down on the broken bench and began. "My mother was traveling through the village one day in a black cloak with a silk mask around her lips. Gorudos are unwelcome in those parts so it was hard to get around during those times. Anyway, she came upon a handsome young man one evening that offered to help her with her bags as she shopped. Something must have attracted him to her, for he greeted her every time she strolled into town.

"He secretly knew she was a Gorudo but my mother had assumed he was oblivious. Soon, they began to see each other every day and my mother eventually told him the truth about who she really was. My father paid no mind and my mother was relieved that he didn't detest her.

"Eventually, Ganondorf found out that my mother was seeing a man, and my aunt, Nabooru, became furious. When my mother returned one day, my aunt threatened to kill her if she saw my father again, and told her she was to be married off to someone else. My mother was frightened and decided to run far away with my father to a place where no one could find them.

"When Ganondorf started the first Hylian war for the triforce, he had sent my aunt to kill my mother and father. I don't know what happened after that. My brother always ended it by telling me they were too hard to find or he would say they're alive somewhere? I wouldn't question it any further."

Saharry nodded and silence fell over them once again. Corin was the first to break it.

"I'm sorry I hid my true identity from you, Saharry. It was wrong of me. I was just so ashamed of who I am and wanted to forget it all." Corin sighed as Saharry sat down next to her.

"It's okay Corin. I'm still your friend, and I always will be, no matter who you are."

Corin smiled as she wiped the last of her tears away as she gave Saharry a warm hug.

"Now let's find a way out of here so we can get what you came for. We can talk about this later," Saharry said, hastily standing up. She grabbed onto Corin's hand to help her up as well.

The girls headed for the steal door that was behind Nabooru's throne. When they both reached for the handle, a siren went off throughout the fortress, painting the room with a blinking red light.

"What? What's going on?" Saharry exclaimed.

"I don't know! I didn't know they had alarms here!" Corin shouted back.

"They really know how to use technology for a place so barren and ancient."

Corin didn't respond as Saharry grabbed Corin's hand and headed back the way they came. The siren seemed like it was growing louder and louder.

"No! This way!" Corin yelled and dragged her the opposite way down a short corridor and passed three canvases painted black.

Corin hesitated as she looked at all three paintings, picked one, and dashed through the second one on the right, dragging Saharry through it as well.

It felt cold for a split second and they finally appeared on the other side. Saharry's eyes were still shut as Corin let go of Saharry's hand.

* * *

"You can open your eyes now, Saharry" Corin said.

Saharry peaked an eye open and saw that they had come across a circular dome. A cathedral of some kind with lots and lots of balcony's around the walls and up towards the ceiling.

"Where are we?" Saharry asked.

She looked back towards the painting and saw that it was missing. She gulped and felt a shiver run down her spine. The cathedral was dark and dreary. It smelled old and the balconies above made creaking sounds. Strange echoes could be heard from each part of the room as water dripped lightly to the floor from the glass ceiling.

The two girls walked slowly to the middle of the marble floor. Saharry's eyes scanned the unknown room with amazement.

"Oh no," Corin whispered.

"What's wrong?" Saharry asked, turning her head towards her.

"Where did the library go?" Corin yelled. Saharry ran over to Corin to cover her mouth but Corin shook free with panic. She raced around in circles to every part of the circular room. "No, no, no, no! This can't be happening!" Corin's face was drenched with worry. "There used to be thousands of beautiful bookshelves all along the walls! Where did they all go?"

While Corin panicked Saharry decided to stay calm and examine the room with her eyes. Soon enough she came across a lone book sitting on a coffee table next to a red, dusty chair.

"Look, Corin! Over there!" Saharry pointed to a single black book.

Corin ran straight for it. She picked it up and began to leaf through it excitedly. Then she shut it to look at the cover. There was no title, but a picture of what looked like a bird with the triforce for a head. Corin's eyes lit up.

"This must be it, Saharry. I found it! Ha! I guess we didn't need a whole library after all, huh? They must have disguised the room when the siren went off and left a book here on the table by accident, right?" Corin gave a sweet smile and pulled out a decoy book from under her shirt and placed it on the table where the old book had been. "It's made out of leather and doesn't look exactly the same but it should buy us some time before he finds out it's gone."

"Okay Corin, lets get out of here. This place is creeping me out." Saharry placed her hands around her arms, shivering.

"Right." Corin tucked the book under her arm and headed straight toward the wall that used to have the painting on it. But it was gone.

"Don't worry, it will appear again. It usually takes a few minutes." Corin smiled but Saharry didn't feel reassured. It has been more then a few minutes since they had gotten there.

"Looking for something, girls?" An evil chuckle came from one of the dark balconies above. It echoed throughout the room, startling Corin and Saharry.

"Who's there?" Corin asked cautiously through the darkness. There was no answer, just the sound of chains and footsteps through the moment's silence.

Emerging through the darkness appeared a boy about two years older then the girls. His jet black, messy hair and auburn eyes glittered in the moonlight. He wore a black muscle shirt with holes ripped in the back, out of which wings that jetted out from his back. Feathers floated everywhere as the chains around his waist clashed together.

"Ren!" Corin shouted, bravely placing herself in front of Saharry. She held the book tighter in her arms and backed away slowly as he flew from the balcony and slowly approached them. Saharry backed away as well but Ren paid no attention to her.

"Were you looking for these?" Ren asked. He waved one hand and the bookcases opened up from the dark walls on all sides.

Loud banging noises went on for about two minutes and it echoed when the bookshelves were once again in their rightful places.

Corin dared not say another word.

Ren moved closer to her and she could now smell his sweating skin and feel his cold breath near her face. He put his finger under her delicate chin and held her face up to his.

Saharry didn't know what to do. She couldn't move from fear and she figured if she tried to stop him, her and Corin would be killed instantly.

"Congratulations." He gave an evil smile and kissed Corin gently on the lips. She shuddered with her eyes wide open. He released her from his kiss and she dropped to the ground coughing and gasping for air.

"Ah, such a pity I would have thought you'd enjoy that." He smirked.

Saharry tried to run to her but she couldn't. Ren flew at her in one swift flap of his darkened wings grabbing her wrists and pinning her to the walls.

"Let me go!" Saharry screamed. She shut her eyes tightly struggling to break free from his grasp.

"Hmm, what do we have here?" Ren looked her up and down. "You have such an unusual aura, girl. I would hate to let such a beautiful young, girl get away from me when you're so breathtaking. Why don't you tell me what you're hiding?" He asked, forcefully pushing her tighter against the wall.

Ren's teeth looked sharp and abnormal. His eyes were glowing with some strange hunger or thirst. What did he want from her?

"Wh-what are you talking about? I don't have a weird aura. I'm just a normal girl!" Saharry shouted in his face, struggling harder for an escape. He was too strong and her efforts were weakening.

"Stop squirming." Ren said calmly as he forced her to the floor instead. "Ganondorf may want to see you…" Ren muttered to himself.

He released one hand from her wrist and raised his hand to her chest. A bright light reflected off her clothes and his hand.

"What are you doing?" Saharry screamed. "Stop! That hurts!"

"You have such an unusual power," Ren replied calmly.

The bright light faded and Saharry lay still on the floor panting. She felt tired and confused.

"I like you," Ren said softly next to Saharry's ear. "You'll make a great present for father."

"No! Let me go!" Saharry exclaimed weakly. Everything was going blurry before her eyes. This was it. She was going to die for sure.

Saharry glanced at Corin and saw that she seemed to be still coughing and gasping for air, but it was hopeless. This was the end of the line for them.

A rush of pain shot through Saharry's heart as Corin fell unconscious. At least Saharry hoped that's all she was.

"Corin!" Saharry screamed faintly as Ren released a dark laugh. Her scream echoed throughout the fortress.

Suddenly a bright light flashed behind Ren and hit him head on. Saharry rolled over limply covering her arms to avoid the blow. Ren's wings tucked firmly into his back again and his eyes were no longer power hungry. He scanned the room to find out who had hit him.

There was complete silence besides the wind blowing through the cracks of the stained glass windows.

Saharry began to slowly crawl towards Corin with all the strength she could muster.

"Co…Corin," Saharry whispered weakly.

Ren walked to the middle of the marble floor, the chains around him jingling together. His narrowed eyes looked up to the balcony above him.

"Who dares try and challenge me?" He shouted.

Saharry managed to drag herself closer to Corin.

"Corin…wake up," she gasped as she began to cry softly. She lay her head carefully on Corin's chest. "Please don't die."

"Show yourself!" Ren shouted once more. He continued to scan the area but no one was around.

After a few more minutes of silence, the sound of rustling clothes and footsteps were heard from the balcony. A dark shadow was seen from above and it was gone in a split second.

Ren didn't seem to see the shadow, but Saharry followed it with her eyes closely.

The shadow whipped around the balcony like a breeze of dark wind. It hit the ceiling and Ren took no notice.

_Why can't he hear or see the shadow? _Saharry wondered. She looked up above and saw the mysterious figure hanging over her and Corin as if it was waiting for the right moment.

Saharry continued to stare at the shadow and couldn't decide if it was dangerous or not, but she had no strength to run so she had no choice but to have faith in it.

Her heart began to pound faster and faster waiting for the thing above her to make a move. Suddenly her head was filled with echoing questions.

_What does it want? Is it an enemy? Why is it here?_

There was a flash from above and the shadow jumped from the ceiling seizing Saharry around her waist.

Red eyes appeared beneath the hood of the thing's cloak, and she looked into them, terrified and about to scream. The shadow or whatever it was covered her mouth and lifted her from the ground before she could make a sound. Saharry, unable to move, panicked.

_No, don't take me away from Corin! _Saharry thought wide eyed.

She was lifted off the floor to a balcony, where the thing landed beside a large vase near a doorway on the balcony. The shadow still held her firmly against its warm chest and continued to cover her mouth.

The thing behind the cloak leaned next to her ear and whispered, "Don't move." For some strange reason, the voice sounded very familiar.

"I command you to show yourself!" Ren roared louder.

The mysterious shadow and Saharry watched from above. Corin looked as if she wasn't breathing, and Saharry's eyes began to fill with tears.

Meanwhile, Ren lifted both hands in front of his face and a soft, green light released from the palms of his hands. Ren's eyes turned a bright orange and a warm breeze filled the room. After that, he smirked and swiftly let down his arms and a powerful blast lit up the room and destroyed both parts of the bookshelves. The shadow held Saharry closer and covered her head.

When the dust and debris subsided, Ren looked up at where they were standing.

"I know you're here Roy Isaac." He said calmly.

Saharry's eyes widened. Did he say Roy Isaac? Why would _he_ want to save _her_?

Roy drew her back further into the shadows. He held Saharry's mouth tighter. Saharry began to cry silently and her grip against Roy became much more firm. Roy seemed to be unsure of how to handle the situation.

Roy slowly released his hand from Saharry's mouth, looking down at her saddened face. His eyes became softer inside the hood of his cloak. Saharry wanted this to be a dream. She wanted everything to be okay and the only person left she could turn to or take a chance with was Roy. She felt as if he was the only one trying to protect her. She couldn't be sure, but her instincts were telling her that he was a good person.

Saharry leaned in closer to Roy and rested her head on his cloaked shoulder.

Roy had no response to this. All he did was lift her up off his shoulder and hold his finger to her lips to quiet her. He leaned her against the wall and Saharry watched as he made his way to the edge of the balcony. He stopped and stood in place silently, his back facing Saharry.

"You have no right to protect her. Remember your place Roy. Now give her to me or I will label you as a traitor." Ren said calmly and sternly.

Roy said nothing to this. His black-gloved hands lifted from his sides and the hood of his cloak fell off. Roy's metallic, silvery hair shone in the moonlight. He was much more handsome close up then Saharry originally thought.

Roy had a serious look upon his face as his eyes followed Ren's pacing. Ren continued to watch the spot where Roy was standing.

"You can't escape, Roy. My father will know about this and you will be punished. I'll make sure of it." Ren grinned slyly.

"You won't tell your father." Roy retorted." Saharry thought his voice sounded completely angelic. "You don't have the guts to. You're too afraid of him," Roy replied.

Ren lifted himself off the ground with his dark feathered wings and raced toward Roy. Anger filled his glowing orange eyes. He irritadedly leaned toward Roy's brave face and growled under his breath.

"You dare defy your master?" Ren exclaimed. His eyes searched behind Roy toward Saharry.

When he spotted her, Ren jumped passed Roy over the railing. Roy didn't flinch once.

Saharry shivered as he put his finger delicately under her quivering chin. His face drew nearer to hers as she struggled against the wall, her eyes shut tight. Roy's fists clenched. Ren brushed his lips against Saharry's and she whimpered in fear. His lips were definitely poison.

To Saharry's surprise, he kept himself from kissing her and ended up not planting one on her lips. Instead, he brushed his toxic lips against Saharry's cheek and down her neck. Saharry cringed.

He lifted himself up and carefully breathed, "Run," into her ear.

She didn't need to be told twice, Saharry's body gained a sudden burst of energy and she pushed Ren out of the way and attempted to run. The fear of being caught and put to her death was the only thing that kept her legs going.

_I can't look back, _She thought._ I need to grab Corin and run, no matter what happens I can't leave her here!_

Saharry ran down the stairs of the balcony and towards Corin, who was still lying unconscious, on the cold, marble floor. Saharry skidded across the floor toward Corin and tried her best to lift her. As her strength began to diminish, Saharry realized she was sobbing. She had never been so panicked and afraid in her life.

Ren and Roy watched calmly above the two girls and made no effort to go after them.

"You're going to let her escape?" Roy asked suspiciously.

"They can't. I banished the painting from whence they came and poisoned Corin. You and those girls are going nowhere. your death will make my father very proud and of coarse, the death of Saharry will win me another prize…you know very well what that prize is Roy."

Roy said nothing to this. He stood there pondering what to do, no fear showing in his eyes.

They both watched Saharry struggle to carry Corin. As Roy watched, he remembered a task he had to complete and he found that now Saharry was of age, and he'd be able to pull her out of this messy situation.

Roy's wings were erupted from his back. He glanced directly at Ren and smirked. "Fuck you" Roy said calmly and flew from the balcony to the marble floors below.

Ren was a bit shocked at Roy's words and spread his wings as well to chase angrily after him. Roy plummeted hastily to the floor where Saharry was struggling with Corin's body and lifted them both off the ground effortlessly, Saharry under one arm and Corin under another.

_Maybe he's a good guy after all, _Saharry thought letting Roy do as he pleased as they lifted from the ground. She looked at Corin's unconscious body and then looked up at Roy's beautiful glowing face.

Roy's perfectly toned body flew higher toward the glass windows above. Saharry screamed as they accelerated faster and faster until they hit the skylight head on, breaking the glass she saw.

Ren covered his eyes with his arms and then watched Roy and the girls escape. He seemed to have no interest in chasing them any longer.

Saharry took a deep breath and saw the fortress below. She'd never thought she would experience this in lifetime and was ecstatic it was happening. The sirens could be heard from a distance but she felt safe and hoped the feeling would last for as long as possible.

* * *


	7. Chapter 4: A Little Explanation, Please

_**Authors Note:**_ Ok, so this chapter was done pretty quick. It's not as long as the others and my editor had some time to look it over. Thanks Kristy! Chapter five is currently being edited and Chapter six is yet to be completed.

I also just got word back that I will be going to Japan for four months for a study abroad program. I will find the time to write as much as I can while I'm there but I will not be able to post it on the site till I come back. I'll be leaving in February and returning in May.

Anyway, enjoy this chapter!

_**Chapter 4: A little explanation, please**_

Roy's feet touched down next to Saharry and Corin's hut. He collapsed out of breath. Saharry loosened her arms around his neck and sat on the ground, her heart racing. Corin had been gently set beside Saharry, still completely unconscious.

Saharry held onto Corin while looking at Roy. He was breathing quite heavily and his wings were still outstretched. He looked slowly up at Saharry panting as he made an effort to pull himself up off the ground, failing due to his fatigue.

"I haven't…flown that fast…in years," Roy gasped, his breathing ragged.

Saharry was startled at first because of the wicked smile upon his face, but stayed in her place.

"Wh – why are you helping us?" Saharry asked cautiously.

"It's in my blood," Roy replied mysteriously as his wings folded into his back and disappeared.

His statement puzzled Saharry, but she didn't question him further. She was way more concerned about her friend then she was about Roy at the moment.

"Please help her," Saharry whimpered, staring down at her immobile friend. "She's all I've got."

Roy stood up carefully. He began to gain back his strength as he walked slowly toward Saharry. She blushed as he neared her.

Roy slowly lifted Corin up off the ground and lazily walked inside their hut. He placed her on her poorly cushioned bed and lit a warm fire in their meager fireplace with his hands. He then pulled a rag out of thin air and dunked it into a bucket that had appeared at his feet.

Saharry sat at the wooden table across the room and watched as Roy placed the rag into the bucket of warm water again, rung it out and placed it on Corin's forehead.

"Saharry," Roy said softly, causing Saharry to immediately look up at him. "You know you can't stay here long." Roy didn't look up as he was speaking, but instead was concentrating on the water bucket and rag.

Roy took Saharry's silence as a sign that she understood.

"She's alive…right, Roy?" Saharry wondered aloud, concern laced into her voice.

"Come over here and see for yourself," Roy answered.

Saharry hesitated, then slowly got up off the wooden chair and knelt beside Roy. She felt a deep, nervous feeling erupt in her stomach. Roy continued to avoid eye contact with her as she glanced at Roy and then at Corin.

"She doesn't look like she's breathing," Saharry whispered, trying to keep her panic under control.

Roy finally looked up at Saharry. He gently took her hand and placed it on Corin's neck. Saharry blushed crimson, surprised at how soft and silky his hands felt. She mentally scolded herself for thinking about something so trivial at a time like this.

"Feel her pulse?" He asked in a whisper. Saharry nodded nervously.

The only sound that could be heard at that moment was the crackling of the fire and the cold wind and rain outside of the hut.

He leaned in closer to Saharry's ear and she could feel his warm breath brush against her cheek. It sent chills racing down her spine.

"Pack lightly…you're leaving tonight," Roy said softly.

Saharry's body filled with panic but excitement at the same time. Tears slowly began to fall from her eyes.

"No!" Saharry pushed Roy away with force, and then backed away. "No! I can't leave! I can't leave Corin here! I can't go out there alone! I don't even know what it's like or where I'm going! It's been years!" Saharry shouted.

Roy tried to hush Saharry as she panicked, and was shocked when she grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him close, crying into his dampened cloak. "You can't send me out there!" Saharry wailed hoarsely as she began to cry harder.

Roy didn't know how to react. "Please calm down, Saharry. You'll be alright," He carefully pried her off of his shoulder and wiped her tears. "I know you're much more brave then that. Be strong, okay?"

He pulled a necklace from his pocket. It was heart shaped and it seemed to be made of solid, clear diamond. It glittered as he held it up to the fireplace.

"This…" he began, "Is a family treasure of mine" Roy placed it gently in the palms of her hands. "It will protect you, I guarantee it." Saharry looked at the necklace as she dried the rest of her tears from her blue eyes.

It had a mystifying vibe to it when she held it to the light.

"Now, take that dress of yours over there and put food in it so you won't get hungry. Try not to carry too much or it will slow you down," Roy explained as he turned to aid Corin.

Saharry got up off the ground, her knees wobbling a bit. Roy tried not to smirk at her as she worked her way over to her clothes and took out a dirty, worn out dress from her drawer and then went over to a barrel of apples in the corner of the hut. She piled the crimson fruit onto the dress and tied it securely closed.

Meanwhile, Roy continued to take care of Corin. Saharry looked over at him and felt thankful for all of his kindness. She smiled faintly and set her apples down, kneeling next to Roy

"Please, take care of her. Tell her to find me when she's free."

Roy nodded. "I'll do my best. She'll be fine, I promise. You're not leaving till after midnight because there are fewer Guards out there. So you still have time to be near you're friend. Besides, I still need to escort you out." Roy grinned a bit, then continued, "I have an antidote I can give you're friend here. She'll be fine by tomorrow."

Saharry nodded and looked around the room while things were silent. She suddenly noticed a black book on the coffee table in the corner. She grew curious and decided to see what it was. Roy took no notice of Saharry finding what he must have brought back.

Saharry slowly moved toward the table and looked at the cover. She gasped with excitement and grabbed the book off the hard, cobwebbed surface. She hugged it to her heart and turned around.

"Can I keep this?" Saharry asked.

Roy paid no attention. "Hm?"

"This book," Saharry said. "You brought this back with you, didn't you?"

Roy looked up from Corin and stared at the book cover with the picture of a phoenix with a triforce for a head. "Of course you can, that's why I brought it back. Corin had it and I figured if she made a decoy it would hold Ganondorf back for a while. I think you're more destined to have it then anyone, Saharry," he said as he lifted himself up off the floor and walked over to Saharry.

Saharry looked confused at his words. Roy took the book from her hands and flipped through the pages. "I want you to take this with you, Saharry. If you get the chance, read it, because you might find some useful information on Hyrule's past and present. If you flip to the back Ganondorf placed folded up maps of where you are in Hyrule field."

"How did you carry this here?" Saharry asked. "I didn't see anything else with you."

Roy chuckled. "Magic is everywhere, Saharry."

Saharry was even more confused but refrained from asking any more questions so her mind could rest a bit.

"One more thing," Roy said to her. "Ganondorf will eventually find out that you and the book are missing and could possibly go after you. I expect you to guard that book with your life, as well as the necklace I gave you, okay?"

"Why are you helping me?" Saharry asked. "I still don't understand."

"Look, I may be Ganondorf's servant," Roy said, cringing a bit at the word "servant". "But truthfully, I feel bad for all the girls who were taken away from their families. Ganondorf stole one piece of the triforce from the king and now he's on the search for the other two pieces. He knows of the boy who possesses one piece, now he wants to find the girl who has the other. It's in the prophecy."

Roy walked over to Corin, sat down, and gently stroked her silky, dark hair. "He treats the girls here disrespectfully and unfairly and the thing is, I'm not the bad guy, Ren is. He's loyal to his father through in through. I'm just here on, well, business."

"So, wait, let me get this straight. You're like…a spy?" Saharry guessed.

Roy didn't answer that one. All he said was, "Saharry, you're a special girl and you'll find your destiny at one point along your journey in life. Just protect your heart and don't ever lose yourself. It's important that you remain on the right side."

Saharry had no idea what Roy was trying to tell her but she made sure to tuck it into her memory.

"What's up with Ren anyway?" Saharry asked.

"Ren wasn't always the way he is now. In fact, at one point in his life, he hated his father because he took his independence away from him. His father murdered his mother, so Ren left this area and tried to find a life of his own. He was fourteen and worked on Lon Lon Ranch for two years. He fell in love with a girl who took riding lessons there every other day, but sadly the girl died in a fire his father had started. Ever since then, he was forced to work for his father and his heart was much colder. I have a feeling that he gave up on finding his own path and learned to love his father and his power-hungry self. He eventually turned into what his father is now, nothing but thirsty for dominance." Roy sighed. "I never thought he would follow in his footsteps because of how heartbroken he was, but now he has devoted himself completely to the darkness."

Saharry was patient through the whole story. "Thank you Roy, for helping me and explaining to me what you could. I feel safe with you. But…how did you know Corin and I were there?"

"Someone had placed a letter in my room that told me where you were," Roy explained. "I raced to the library as fast as I could after that."

"Who sent you the letter?" Saharry asked a little confused.

"You ask way too many questions Saharry." Roy tousled her hair with his hand and stood up. "Stay with Corin until I come back to get you. I have to go, but I promise I'll return."

Saharry nodded as he walked toward the door. She got a little nervous about him leaving her alone with her unconscious friend.

Roy opened the front door and walked outside into the night. "Please return soon!" Saharry exclaimed. Roy turned and winked at her, a small smirk on his face. His wings unfurled on his back and he soared back toward the fortress and into the darkness.

"Please be safe…" Saharry said quietly as she stepped outside to watch him go. She waited until Roy was completely out of sight before she went back inside. When she did, she sat by Corin's side and stroked her midnight black hair. She was so warm it seemed as if she was stricken with a fever.

Saharry's head was cluttered with so many questions. What if she couldn't make it out of here safely? What if Corin really wasn't okay? Who would take care of her if she escaped? Who was she, really?

Every time she thought of a question, even more would surface in her mind. She had no idea what to expect. Continuing to stroke Corin's hair, she dabbed the rag onto her friend's forehead.

"Please be okay, Corin. I still need you. I feel so alone right now." Saharry tried hard to hold back her tears as she watched her only friend lay still, unable to wake.

Just then, Saharry remembered a Hylian song that her mother used to sing to her when she became ill. She tried hard to remember it and when it came to her, the words began to wisp passed her lips as the night sailed on.


	8. Chapter 5: Free

A/N: Ok, so, this is the next chapter.

To the person who commented on my spelling…I know, I spelled Gerudo wrong TT It's a bad habit. I always hit the O instead of the E…scolds self I'll do my best to change that. And about Nabooru, you'll find things out with her later on. I'm glad that some of you people are guessing on what will happen. I really like that. It means that you're interested in finding out what happens next. It makes me very happy . Also, I've played all the games of Zelda. Maybe not some of the earlier ones all the way through but I've beaten The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time like 10 times including master quest. I've also played Majora's Mask, wind waker, oracle of seasons and ages, link to the past, and Twilight Princess.

Just to warn you all, this is going to be a very long story. It came to me when I was like in 6th grade so there's a lot and I'm writing slowly to make sure it all comes together and makes sense since it's very scattered in my head. It's the most challenging thing I've ever done.

I also know that some people are a bit confused with the names Roy and Ren. When I was younger I thought up Roy. In my mind he had shoulder length silver hair and his name was Riku…this was before Kingdom Hearts, people. I actually thought of the name Riku because I was a big fan of Rikku from FFX and FFX2. That's why I named him that. When I actually started typing this on it sounded too much like the Riku from Kingdom Hearts so I changed his appearance and name. His name is Roy ….it was the most random name that came to me…but it's cool because Roy and Ren are like opposites. Roy seems to be the good badass and Ren seems to be the bad badass (If that makes sense). Ren was a character that I came up with a few years ago actually. He was originally a vampire in some of my other short stories I've written on paper.

That's just a little bit about Ren and Roy. Hopefully it's not too confusing. I've drawn a pic of Roy and would like to share it with all of you so since the link refused to be posted here just type moonbell. deviantart. com ...there are no spaces ...just everytime i typed a .com for some reason it would mess everything up. Its the first picture there. I barely use deviantart and none of my rescent artwork is on there most is from jr. high.

Link will appear in chapter six. A bit of a spoiler for all of you…but not really. I'm having a hard time developing his personality though. He's a bit standoffish when he's around Saharry and it's hard to create someone like that for me. He's also a very hard person to read in Saharry's eyes.

I know this is ridiculously long…haha . My editor is so amazing. I'd like to thank her again even though school is slowing the process of my story down. I'd like to apologize for that again. Senior year isn't as easy as I thought. Without my editor though, my grammar would all scare you away…if your not easily scared by grammar then I love those people very much and would be happy if they'd still read my story anyway .

Ok, well this chapter is short too. So hope you like it!

* * *

Chapter 5 

"What have you done?" Ganondorf pounded his fist on his throne. Roy didn't even blink.

"What do you mean, 'what have I done?'" Roy asked calmly.

"You helped the girl escape! That's what you have done!"

"You don't know for sure that she's the one, your highness." Roy stepped forward. "Ren was going to kill her. I assumed that you would want her alive," he exclaimed, pointing to Ren, who leaned casually against the wall. Ren grinned evilly.

"And Ren will be dealt with accordingly." Ganondorf's eyes flashed and his voice lowered. "She is the one, I know that for sure." He lifted himself up off of his throne and paced back and forth.

"Then why don't you let the rest of the girls go if you're so sure?" Roy commented, as his fists clenched tightly.

Ren stepped in. "Since when have you been such a goody-goody, Roy?"

"Silence! The both of you!" Ganon yelled, his voice echoing off the cavernous ceiling.

When Ganondorf was angry, you knew he was angry. The look on his face was threatening and intimidating. His body structure seemed to inflate with more muscle.

"I want that girl's power and I want that piece of the triforce," Ganon said, panting with rage.

"Saharry's power hasn't completely developed yet. You know very well that you can't kill her if she can't control her own strength and magic, Your Highness," Roy said impatiently. "And if you know it's her, then why keep the rest of the girls here as well?"

"They are my loyal servants and I plan on keeping them as long as they are of use," he replied. "I'll turn them into Gorudo slaves if I have to. Their families probably don't even remember them anyway."

"But there's no point!" Roy exclaimed. He stepped even closer to Ganondorf. "These girls are innocent – they have done nothing to you! The deal was I'd help you kidnap these girls until you found the right one. Then you were to release the rest. This isn't what we agreed too!" he glared.

Ganondorf's eyes turned bright red and he darted forward, grabbing Roy by the throat and swinging him across the room. Ren crossed his arms and smiled smugly as Ganon pushed Roy forcefully into a wall.

"You interfere with my plans and I'll kill _you_ along with that girl! I'll speak with her tomorrow!" Ganondorf roared. He then swung his heavy black cape around and left the throne room fuming.

Ren knelt next to Roy as he winced in pain from the impact of the throw.

"You get in my way and I'll be you're worst nightmare, brother." He stood up and then left Roy to suffer in pain.

* * *

That night, after a relaxing bath to relieve the muscle aches he'd had since his discussion with Ganondorf, Roy tied on his black cloak and smoothly slipped out the front fortress door, quietly shutting it behind him. The Gorudo guards were all in their places outside. 

_There're more then usual_,Roy thought to himself.

He made his way hastily across the area, greeting the guards as he passed them. Roy tried to look as unsuspicious as possible.

The tiki lights were lit and the Gorudo guards stood as still as statues with their long, sharpened spears in their hands. Roy scanned the area to make sure Ren hadn't sent out any spies to watch him.

When he made it to Saharry and Corin's hut, the candles were unlit and he assumed she had fallen asleep. Roy looked quickly behind him and then stepped inside. He couldn't see a thing.

"Saharry?" He whispered. "Where are you?" He walked further inside and tried his best to search through the dark. He began to hear crying and whimpering.

"I'm here," Saharry told Roy with her head in her hands.

Roy lit a fire in the palm of his hand with magic and held it up to find Saharry lying next to Corin in tears. He looked for a candleholder with a candle in it around the room and found two broken ones in a drawer next to Corin's bed and lit them up. He sat in silence next to Saharry and let her cry.

"What if she doesn't wake up, Roy?" Saharry whispered. "I want to at least say goodbye."

"You won't have to, Saharry, I promise you," Roy replied quietly. The candle flickered softly against the walls as they spoke. "Now, we must get going. There isn't much time." Roy grabbed Saharry by the hand and lifted her up off the floor.

Saharry whispered a soft goodbye to Corin and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Please keep her safe, Roy," she said, standing and looking down at her friend.

"I will, I promise," he replied.

* * *

Roy and Saharry quietly left the hut and closed the door behind them. Roy lifted his cloak off his shoulders and gave it to Saharry. 

"You can keep this. You'll be needing it more then I will, I'm sure" Saharry nodded and held her book and bag in her hands firmly. "Ready?" Roy asked her, holding her hand in his.

Saharry looked into Roy's eyes and nodded nervously. They began to silently walk across the fortress grounds.

"Halt!" A Gorudo thief called to Roy.

Saharry's heart began to pound and her grip around Roy's hand tightened. Roy turned around to see a Gorudo woman running straight toward the two of them.

"What business do you have here?" She yelled angrily.

"I'm sorry, but this young lady is under my care for now. She was caught sneaking out of her hut about ten minutes ago. I was advised to show her to a proper punishment," Roy explained politely.

"And what right do you –"

The thief didn't know it was Roy until his face was revealed from the shadows. She was startled.

"Oh. Please forgive me, sir." She bowed, blushing. "Please carry on."

_I guess I'm not the only one who thinks that Roy has stunningly perfect features_,Saharry thought, smiling to herself.

Roy had a serious look upon his face as he nodded to the thief, sending her back to her post.

"Thank you," Saharry whispered.

Roy smiled warmly. "You should be careful around here. Without me you'd be severely punished." He continued to hold on to Saharry's hand. "Now, follow me and hurry up. You don't want to fall behind."

All Roy could do the whole time they crossed the fortress grounds was complain about how slow Saharry was moving.

"I'm trying my best!" She yelled. Saharry paused a moment to catch her breath, leaning against a boulder in the sand. "I'm…really…trying, Roy," she panted.

"Well, you gotta move faster and try harder or we'll be found out and we'll both be in huge trouble. I can't keep defending you from Ganondorf. He's still my master and if I keep turning on him, things won't go well for the two of us, Saharry," Roy explained. "You want to escape, right?"

Saharry looked up at Roy, close to tears. He took one look at her and dared not say another word.

After a moment of silence, Roy unfurled his wings and ascended to the top of the boulder they were hiding behind. He gently hovered back to the ground and folded his wings into his back. He pulled Saharry's hood up over her head so no one would recognize her.

"I want you to be safe," Roy told Saharry. "I'm going to walk you to the edge of the field outside so you can make a run for it, got it?" His eyes seemed to make her trust him even more as she nodded in an unsure way. "Trust me." He looked deep into Saharry's bright blue eyes as he held onto her shoulders. "And don't worry, Corin is safe with me."

Saharry had to ask one more question before they came out of their hiding place. "Roy?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you and Ren have angel wings?"

Roy seemed to be taken aback by her question. He didn't reply as he led her out from behind the boulder, quietly leading her down a stone path way and keeping a close watch for anymore Gorudo thieves on duty. They saw a gate up ahead, sneaking past two more guards and onto a new path between two dirt hills.

The guards seemed to take no notice of the two of them. They must have known it was Roy because they didn't glance at him once.

Saharry could feel it. They were close to freedom. The wind blew a lot more freely around the area and everything just felt so much less suffocating. Saharry didn't know how long it had been since she had breathed in fresh Hyrule air.

Roy went from a walk to a fast sprint and jumped over what seemed like an invisible rope laid out on the ground. Roy completely forgot that Saharry didn't know about the alarm system here and was unable to warn Saharry to jump with him.

Red lights began to flash and a loud siren reverberated through the fortress grounds. The guards went into panic.

Roy spotted three thieves near the gate heading toward the two helpless teens. "Shit," Roy whispered under his breath. "Ren isn't far behind either. They must know what where up too."

He stretched his wings, grabbed Saharry around her waist, and lifted her up off of the ground. Saharry gave a little yelp as they flew behind a couple trees, over the wooden gate, and landed at the edge of Hyrule field.

Saharry stood there for the longest moment, then let go of Roy and stared in awe. She felt as if she was reliving her past. "This…this is amazing Roy." Saharry reached her arms out as if she was able to touch or hug something and then drew herself back in, remembering her escape plan with Roy.

The siren continued to echo through the fortress. Roy looked worriedly behind him.

"I thought they were fine with you taking me," Saharry said, her tone slightly accusatory.

"That's not the problem, Ren is."

Saharry understood and reached for his hand. "Let's go then!" she shouted excitedly. "We're finally free!"

Roy didn't budge from where he was standing as Saharry tried to force him forward. It took a moment for her to realize Roy wasn't going anywhere. She turned to look at him with curiosity.

"Wh – why aren't you moving?" Saharry asked softly.

Roy looked kindly at Saharry. "I can't go with you Saharry. Don't you remember? I told you I'd stay with Corin and aid her. I would have figured you'd figure it out by now that you were leaving here alone."

Saharry was so set on becoming a free girl again, that she forgot what he had explained to her earlier. She fiddled with the necklace he had given her.

"I don't want to follow you Saharry. Ganondorf would be able to find me faster then he'd find you. He'd kill us both." His wings once again released from his back. "Keep the book safe and keep my cloak. If a stranger asks you're name, tell them a name that's not your own." Roy began to leave but Saharry didn't let go of Roy's hand.

She looked down to the ground and began to cry again. "I'm scared" Saharry whispered softly. "You can't just leave me alone. I don't know where to go"

"Follow the edge of the rock wall east to a forest called the Kokiri woods. You should be safe there," Roy explained calmly.

Saharry nodded and hugged Roy with all the strength she had. He hugged her back and wished her luck, then lifted his wings up high and began to fly slowly away. Saharry watched as he left her alone.

She heard soldiers in the distance and voices that sounded of anger and frustration. They were looking for her and she knew whoever found her would get a special reward from Ganondorf.

Saharry took off with a burst of speed and headed toward the woods Roy had spoken of, never once taking a backward glance.

* * *

Saharry fled to the East just as Roy had instructed her to. She held tightly onto her necklace, hoping that maybe it would express a guiding light hidden beneath its crystal shards. Unfortunately, that did not happen. 

It began to rain and the clouds were swirling above her. A storm was about to hit and she was out in the open with only a bag of apples for food and an old journal belonging to the King of Thieves. Since it was dark and musty outside she couldn't exactly tell if she was going the right way. Her only guide was the rock wall to her right.

The rain fell softly and evenly. It was almost calming. Lightning flashed from the clouds in the distance. The thunder wasn't loud. It was faint enough for Saharry to know she was safe until she found some form of shelter.

Her walking turned into a jumpy sprint. Her nervousness wasn't helping her go much faster but she knew she couldn't be out in the open for long. There were creatures out here that Saharry knew were loyal to Ganon himself, the creatures in the rumors that spread across the fortress.

Saharry couldn't stand being alone. Why hadn't Roy given her a weapon to defend herself with? Why hadn't he walked her at least half way to make sure she was safe? Maybe it was all just a plot to take her life and something evil was waiting for her at her destination. Suddenly, Saharry wasn't so sure of what she should do.

She had been running for about a half hour and still hadn't seen any forests or woods yet. She stopped to take a breath, figuring that she was lost. Saharry collapsed to the ground, alone and scared, onto a pile of weeds and vines that jutted out from the ground. She held her knees close to her chest and covered her head in her arms, crying. She was completely soaked from the rain and her will to go any further was lost.

"What am I doing? This is stupid. I'll never be able to escape from all of this. They'll find me and take me back…" Saharry whimpered to herself.

It took her a few moments to realize that the earth seemed to be moving softly beneath her. She lifted her head slowly from her arms and quickly slammed her hands down onto the ground to keep her balance. She noticed the leaves rustle beneath her and the vines squirming violently on both sides of her body.

"Wha-what's going on?" Saharry shouted aloud, frightened.

Her shouts became screams as the ground shifted and shook, suddenly breaking apart. She was violently lifted from the ground and set into the air. Saharry seemed to be hanging onto a giant plant like creature that pulled itself from beneath the hard soil.

It was a peahat, the biggest Saharry had ever seen.

The plant broke from its roots and its propeller like leaves swung around in a vicious circle. Its yellow body slammed on the wet grass a few times, trying to hold Saharry's weight.

"Ahhh! No! Let me down!" Saharry shouted. She knew it wouldn't listen to her but it was her gut reaction to the sudden event.

The peahat eventually flung itself higher into the air trying to throw Saharry off of its bulging head. Saharry screamed loudly, not thinking of who could hear it.

"Help meeeeee!" she screamed as she grabbed hold of the plants swinging vines. The vine wrapped suffocatingly around Saharry's arm and waist, pulling her off of its yellowish head and toward the earth floor. It held her just inches from the ground as the blood rushed to her head. She couldn't breath well – it was like wearing a corset. She cried out in horror and anguish.

She noticed the bag by the rock wall had spilled and the apples lay hopelessly in the mud. She decided that this was one of the worst days of her life.

Saharry struggled helplessly to reach for the vines around her body, but the more she squirmed, the more it squeezed. She gasped for breath, still trying to yell for help, but no voice came out of her mouth.

She began to feel dizzy and faint as the swirling leaves swung threateningly above her.

Saharry heard a sudden yelp came from the distance. She tried to stay conscious as she heard the galloping of horses and the yells of people. Was someone finally here to save her?

Her hope vanished when she saw the faces of three unfamiliar Gerudo thieves. They wore their bright red Arabian costumes riding toward the peahat with knives in the air. Saharry knew they felt victorious for finding her. They would get an extravagant reward for this.

They were here. The tribe of people she had dreaded most. Roy's escape plan had failed and her life would now become worse. She thought of the punishments she would receive from Ganon. Unless the peahat killed her, she would live her life in utter suffering.

Saharry watched in faint horror as the Gerudo thieves rushed to her aid. Once they were mere feet from her, a buzzing sound flew passed her ear and a thick flame ignited where an arrow had struck the wet grass. Saharry was too dizzy from the blood rushing to her head to be completely startled.

The horses skidded to a stop and whinnied loudly. The Gerudos lurched backward, one falling off her horse. They steadied their horses and before she knew it, her eyes seemed grow heavy and the next thing she knew she could hear the shrieks and cries of the woman, blood being shed, and see a sparkling blue light appear before her eyes before they seemed to permanently shut.


	9. Chapter 6: A Different Side of Life

Editor's note: Hey, everyone! This is MB004's editor, Miss Myrtle360. She just left for her Japanese exchange program today, and she asked me to post this for her. Wish her luck for her trip - four months! I dunno if she'll have another chapter for awhile, so enjoy this one!

Author's note:

Hey everyone! I'm sorry this chapter took the longest. I've been getting ready for my four-month trip to Japan! Which by the way is a warning to you all. I won't be able to post till I come back but I'll do my best to write out the chapters there and type them when I come home. This chapter was a bit rushed and wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, but it's still interesting!

Please enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 6: A Different Side of Life

Saharry didn't have to open her eyes to know that her surroundings were different. She could feel the wet grass beneath her, the hot sun on her face, and the light breeze in the air. She was alive, but it didn't feel like she was back at the fortress. She was still outside, away from that terrible nightmare. But where exactly was she?

Saharry clenched her fists, eyes still shut tight. She flinched as she felt a splitting pain rise up her spine. Her whole body ached and she felt dizzy and nauseous.

"Oh my…"

Saharry heard a mysterious whisper as she struggled to open her eyes. Everything seemed so difficult for her to do.

"Hey!" The mysterious tinkling voice was closer now and she felt a rush of hot air move back and forth above her face. A glittering light disrupted her vision as Saharry slowly and cautiously began to open her blue eyes. "I think she's waking up!" The voice panicked. "What do I do?"

Saharry heard footsteps close to her ear. "Move out of the way Navi…you're going to scare her." A velvety voice said before Saharry's eyes were completely open.

Her eyelids fluttered until she could focus and she groaned in pain. "What…?" To Saharry's surprise, she was in the Hyrule fields - out in the open - but this time, she wasn't alone. A boy was leaning over her, staring down at her with concern. A small woman with wings fluttered around his head in a panic. She emanated a blue light that glittered above Saharry's face, her wings flickering back and forth almost too quickly to be seen.

Saharry was startled - she had never seen a being like it before. "Ah!" She shot up, wincing as her aching back protested. She pushed herself up off the ground and into a sitting position. "Wha-what is that thing?" Saharry shrieked in confusion.

"I'm not _that_ ugly am I?" Navi replied, insulted. She crossed her arms and fluttered away angrily.

The boy watched as Saharry struggled to lift her self up. "You're hurt…I laid you here to rest, so please don't be startled. We want to help," He said gently in his silky voice.

The boy was strikingly handsome and looked to be only a year or so older than Saharry. He had the brightest, ocean blue eyes and the smoothest skin she had ever seen. His hair was a honey blonde, and he wore a long sleeved white button up shirt along with some dark pants and boots. He looked pretty normal to Saharry, until she looked to her right and saw an old, forest green tunic lying around on the grass.

"Wh-what's all that for?" She asked, glancing nervously toward the tunic with the bow and arrow lying across it.

The boy turned his head slightly, looking to where Saharry's gaze had landed. "That tunic is, well, like my armor, I suppose. And the bow and arrow is…what I saved you with."

Saharry looked back at the boy with wide eyes. "You-you're the one who save me?" she asked, shocked. "But…those Gerudos…and that monster! How could you have escaped? Just you alone…" Saharry lowered her voice and fell into deep thought. How could that be possible – a boy this young saving her life? She was confused at the thought.

The boy chuckled deep in his throat. He grinned and leaned next to Saharry, helping her balance herself. A splitting pain rushed through her spine once again.

"Ah! Please…that hurts." Saharry winced at the pain in her voice.

The boy held onto Saharry's hand and stared into her eyes, making her blush. "Listen…you need to get home. I don't know what you were doing out here on your own, but a girl your age shouldn't be wandering around out here alone." His eyes were tense and his balancing grip on her was tighter now. The kindness in his voice had vanished.

"But…I don't have a home…" Saharry said quietly, averting her eyes from his azure gaze.

The boy smirked. "You're kidding, right? Did you just come out of no where, then?" He asked rudely.

Saharry fumed. "Is this how you treat every homeless woman you meet, or am I just special?" She glared at him, her eyes hard.

"Woman? You look more like a little girl to me." The boy turned away from Saharry to watch the stream run its course.

Saharry ignored his comment and followed the boy's gaze. "That's…" Saharry was amazed at what she saw. It was the same frozen stream that she had followed in her escape with her brother, except now the stream wasn't frozen anymore. That must mean the forbidden woods weren't far from here.

The boy turned his head to glance at Saharry. "That's what?" He asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

Saharry shook her head. "Nothing…" She looked down at the grass and began to pluck some of it out of the ground.

"Look, I can't baby sit you…you need to go somewhere. So, you're on your own." He frowned as Saharry started to protest. "Sorry," he said, irritated. "I saved your life but I'm not exactly responsible for it. You're on your own now."

"Link!" The ice-blue fairy appeared out of nowhere fluttering from left to right.

Saharry was so startled that she completely forgot how disheartened she was feeling. "Is that…a fairy?" Saharry asked hesitantly.

Both the fairy and the boy looked at Saharry, confused. "Yeah…why do you ask?" He questioned.

"I…I didn't think they existed," she replied, bemused at the boy's change in attitude.

Link suddenly felt more relaxed. "Well, most people don't because they live in forests. I guess they're rare around these parts of Hyrule." He waited for her reaction.

Saharry didn't realize how much change she missed. Hyrule fields didn't have that same spark as it used to. The grounds looked dead, there weren't any travelers around, and the trees were almost completely bare.

"Everything looks so different…" Saharry whispered to herself.

Link raised an eyebrow, glanced at Navi, then back at Saharry. "You really are clueless, aren't you…what's you're name?" Link asked a little more politely.

Saharry looked back at him, remembering what Roy had told her about not revealing her name to anyone. "Ly…Lydia?" Saharry said unsurely.

Link raised his eyebrow even more. "I guess I'll believe that…for now…"

"Link…" Navi whispered. "You're not really going to leave her here, right?"

"What choice do I have?" he replied. "I have a mission right now and I'm not taking her with me. She'd just slow me down."

Saharry felt suddenly ignored. They talked amongst themselves as if she was not there.

"Then take her with you until you see the princess and then find a home for her. It's the least you could do after saving her life." Navi glared at Link, her tiny arms crossed.

Link sighed. "Okay, fine." He turned his attention back to Saharry. His expression was completely intimidating. "Look, I'll take you along for now, but after that, I'm gonna leave you somewhere, got it?"

Saharry nodded, a little frightened. She felt a kind of weight on her body from everything she's gone through. "Your name…is Link…right?" She asked slowly.

Link looked at her with a tense face. Saharry could tell he wanted her gone. "Yes, my name's Link. Why? It's not like you'll see me after a while anyway. And no," he said, turning to the fairy hovering about his shoulder, "She's not staying till we meet the princess. You're being too nice, Navi, and it's only slowing us down, you know?"

Saharry looked a bit shocked. What was this about meeting the princess?

"Link! Stop thinking about yourself all the time! You're supposed to be a pure warrior, not a…rude idiot!" Navi shouted. She trembled, trying to find a better insult.

Link didn't look the least bit offended. "You're a bit too small to be insulting me, don't you think?" He grinned teasingly as he walked over to his tunic and bow.

Navi was at a loss for words. Saharry wanted to smile at the scene but knew she shouldn't. Suddenly, she remembered what Roy had told her to do in the first place.

"Um…" she began. "Where exactly are we going?"

Link lifted his tunic over his shoulders and walked over to Saharry, looking down at her as she rubbed her aching feet. "To see the princess."

"But don't you need a summons from the king to get into the castle?" She asked, a little confused.

"Heh, yeah." He shrugged.

"Well, do you have one?" Saharry questioned as she lifted herself off of the ground.

"Heh, no."

Saharry's eyes bulged. "Are you crazy?" She hissed. "You'll be killed if you just barge in there!"

Link walked past her toward the castle market, shrugging her off again. "We'll have to see," he said faintly.

Saharry was worried about this. She wasn't sure if she could trust someone who was planning to sneak into the castle. "But – I want to go the opposite way…I need to, um, see something!" She shouted to her rescuer. She looked over her shoulder and then back at Link again. He was too far ahead for him to hear her. The worried look on her face tightened. "I guess I'll just follow you then…" She sighed, uncertainty taking over.

* * *

"Just to warn you, I'm not giving you any special treatment," Link warned Saharry as he walked straight through the gates of Hyrule market place.

Saharry nodded.

"And," Link continued, stopping suddenly and turning to look into Saharry's eyes. "Whatever you hear or see must be kept an absolute secret." His eyes narrowed as he spoke.

Saharry gulped as Link glared at her. He turned and continued to walk ahead.

"Do you think we should trust her?" Navi asked when she and Link were out of Saharry's range of hearing. She remembered what Link's mission was and now seemed unsure about Saharry. "You don't seem entirely sure if she's safe or not."

"I'm not," he responded. "But she seems harmless so far."

Navi nodded, unsure of what to say to that.

* * *

The market place was full of loud and obnoxious people. Link grabbed Saharry's arm. "Stay close," he whispered in her ear.

As she looked around, Saharry noticed that the market wasn't as exciting or as bright as she remembered it to be. The people of the village watched them as they walked by. Saharry figured it must have been because of the tunic Link was wearing. It made him stand out from everyone else.

The town had an air of confusion surrounding every part of it. Children were running around out of control and men and woman fought over expensive items. A group of obnoxious villagers drank in the ally corners and dirt and dust polluted the air. Yet there were some things that had remained the same. The buildings still looked the same, and there was an occasional salesman or woman that would offer free samples of something. But nothing else was how she used to remember it.

"Uh...um…" Saharry hesitated. Music began to play out of nowhere as a group of violin and flute players tried to lighten the mood of the people.

Two woman and their husbands bumped into Saharry and Link. "Move outta the way!" One of the men shouted.

"S-sorry…" Saharry said to the man politely.

"Why are you apologizing to him?" Link asked in an irritated tone.

"Well, I…" Saharry thought about what she had done wrong and found that he was right – she didn't need to apologize for anything.

"People are rude here and they won't ever apologize to you, so there's no point in trying to apologize to them." Link didn't look at Saharry once as he spoke.

How could anyone in Castle Town be completely rude ? Everyone here knew each other from the village, or at least, they _had_. What other drastic changes could there be?

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember the town being like this…" Saharry said quietly, trying not to make Link even more irritated.

Link smirked and shook his head. "You're one weird girl. I don't know what your story is, but Hyrule Castle Town has always been like this."

Saharry watched the group of men and woman with beer mugs in their hands dancing and having a good time knocking carts to the ground and laughing it up like it was nothing.

"Ever since the Dark Lord started that war years ago and took all the young girls of the village away, people have become depressed and careless. They've decided it's a good idea to forget about what had happened and drink their depression away instead."

Saharry was appalled at the words tumbling out of Link's mouth. She broke away from him and looked him angrily in the eye. Her glare, however, was not for him, but for the people of the village. "How could they just forget? Their daughters have been kidnapped! They should be spending time trying to find a way to get them back!" Saharry shouted so loudly that people around her stared in bemusement.

Link sighed in an embarrassed and annoyed sort of way and grabbed Saharry's hand, pulling her close. "Shut up. You're causing a scene. This way." The people who were watching them continued their stares, whispering to one another.

Saharry wrenched her hand from Link's as he tried to pull her in the opposite direction. "What's wrong with shouting out the truth?" She yelled back at him.

They stopped at a cart with a saleswoman who was selling silk veils and cloaks in green and black. They were old and tattered and looked used, but Link didn't seem to mind as he asked the lady if he could buy a cloak for 20 Rupees. "Shut up," Link whispered again through his gritted teeth.

Saharry stayed quite after that. She hadn't realized how much trouble she was causing her rescuers. The woman looked at them both strangely and handed Link the best cloak she had. "Thank you." He bowed his head politely but the woman did not return the gesture. Instead, she went back to folding her cloaks, muttering something under her breath.

"What's that cloak for?" Saharry asked.

Link looked at her oddly "It's for me, since I see you have one on already. We don't seem to be welcome here, so I think it's a good idea to hide myself so I'm not seen with a loud mouth like you."

With a huff, Saharry angrily crossed her arms across her chest. She was furious at Links comment but she also felt bad at the same time. Where did that politeness go?

It was then that Link said, without looking at her, "This cloak will help when we sneak into the castle."

Saharry blinked as she remembered what Link's task was and her stomach dropped, making her feel much more queasy and nervous than she had moments ago. She kept her mouth closed as they made their way toward the castle. She just hugged herself in hope that she wouldn't be killed this early in her life.

* * *

It was almost evening and the sun was beginning to set. As they walked away from the village, the loud music had stopped and Saharry figured this was around the time others were getting ready to head back into there homes in fear of another more brutal attack from Ganondorf. The last time she had been in Hyrule, Saharry remembered the town being awake till midnight. It seemed that the townspeople _did_ remember their daughters' kidnappings.

"People are still afraid, aren't they…?" she asked Link, her voice quiet.

They walked toward a lone tree on the side of the dirt path. Link didn't say a word. "What are we doing?" Saharry wondered.

"I can't sneak in until it's dark," Link said as he sat down next to the tree. He reached into his tunic and pulled out a handkerchief. He opened it, revealing bread and cheese inside. "You're hungry, right?" Link asked Saharry, holding the food out to her.

Saharry sat next to Link and lightly pushed his hand away from her. "Link, you haven't told me much of anything. I'm following you and you have these ideas to sneak into Hyrule Castle. How do I know I'm not helping you kidnap the princess or steal something valuable?" Saharry asked, her eyes reflecting her worry. "You aren't answering any of my questions. _Are_ people still afraid, Link?" She never looked away from Link for a second. She wanted him to start explaining.

Link was irritated but Saharry didn't seem to care. "Look, you haven't told me much either, Lydia. It's been like this for years. Of course people are afraid. They're devastated, but they don't want to show it, so they're trying to create a new life for themselves...it's hard for everyone."

He took a bite of bread as Saharry continued to stare at him with disgust and surprise. When she heard the name Lydia, she remembered what she had told him. It was the fake name Roy had told her to give to strangers. "Why are you doing this, Link? Why do you need to get into the castle so badly?"

Navi appeared from behind Link's cloak, afraid to interrupt their conversation. "That is none of your business. I promised to take you with me under one condition – that you'd keep your mouth shut and go along with it. I'll find you a home after."

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to try to get some answers out of you, Link. You're scaring me with your disguises." She poked Links dark cloak. "And I don't know why anyone in their right mind would want to sneak into the castle after what happened with Ganondorf and his attack."

The more Saharry talked, the more Link wanted to slap her. He stood up instantly with clenched fists. "Will you stop it?" He thundered at her. "You're getting nosey and it's really getting on my nerves! Do you want me to just drop you off at some random person's house? Cause if you keep babbling on about how you want to know about my personal life I will do just that! You're lucky enough that I saved your ass and you're alive. Now just appreciate it!"

Saharry was taken a back by Link's explosion. She held her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. For about an hour the two didn't speak or even try to sleep. There was too much going on in their heads.

Saharry grew drowsy and wanted to close her eyes, but Link kept nudging her to keep her awake in case of a surprise attack from the guards up the path. She hated when he'd do this, but she wasn't sure if she hated this more than what she used to do. She missed Corin greatly and she wanted to see Roy again. At the very least, she wanted to have someone to hold her and tell her it was going to be okay. With Link, she felt like she was being held hostage. But since he saved her life, she reasoned, she should probably listen to whatever he said and just go with it.

After a while, Saharry noticed music playing in the distance. It sounded as if someone was singing. Saharry grew curious, crawled away from Link, and hid behind a bright red and orange bush. She noticed a familiar girl who sat in the grass with a gigantic blue egg in her arms. She looked really lonely and harmless so Saharry decided to approach her.

Glancing back at Link to make sure he wasn't watching, Saharry slowly revealed herself from the bushes. As she drew closer, the girl stopped her singing, lifted her head, and gasped, nearly dropping her giant egg.

"It's okay, I won't hurt you." Saharry noticed the girl had red curls with a white dress and apron wrapped around her. She looked up at Saharry with bright golden eyes. "I…I think I've seen you somewhere before."

The girl didn't say anything at first. Saharry moved her hand slowly down to her dress pocket and felt something small and bumpy inside. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a golden hairpiece. She held it out in the palms of her hands.

The red haired girl lifted herself slowly off of the ground and brushed the dirt off of her dress. "It's you…" she said. "You had this all along. I remember you. You were the girl I saw years ago when I was being chased by those guards." She blinked and then smiled. "My name is Malon, and you are…?" She asked politely, a glowing smile upon her face.

"My name's-" Saharry stopped herself and looked back at Link, who still appeared to be asleep. She trusted this girl enough to know her name. Lowering her voice, she said, "My name's Saharry. But it's a secret to everyone else, so don't mention it anywhere else, okay?" Saharry asked with a worried expression n her face.

Malon nodded, then looked down at the gold hairpiece Saharry was holding. "You should keep it."

Saharry was surprised. "But it's yours, and I kept it safe for you."

"I know and I'm grateful for that," Malon whispered. "But my father has been a lot happier seeing that I'm not wearing it in my hair anymore. I think that if I start wearing it again, he'll become depressed." Seeing that Saharry looked confused, Malon continued. "You see, it was my mother's, and she passed away many years ago. I think it's better if I keep the memories I have of her locked in my heart instead of in a hairpiece." She smiled sadly.

"Oh…I'm so sorry," Saharry whispered in a sympathetic voice. "Well then," she began happily, "I'll keep it safe forever."

Malon's smile grew even wider. "Thank you. You're very kind." She turned to pick up the large blue egg.

Saharry cocked her head a bit. "What is that and why are you carrying it around out here this early in the morning? Aren't you sleepy?"

Malon shook her head. "My father delivers milk to the castle mornings and nights. I think he may have fallen asleep somewhere near the castle again, and he usually doesn't wake up unless his cuckoos do. Without his cuckoos around, I'm afraid it will take him twice as long to wake up." Malon frowned and began to pace. "I can't get in the castle on my own because unless you have business there they won't let you through and no matter how many times I tell the guards my father has fallen asleep in there, they just laugh and send me away."

Saharry looked strangely at the egg. "Is that thing supposed to be a cuckoo?" she asked.

Malon looked sweetly down at her blue egg. "Yes, it's another special one. Blue eggs don't appear often and they're very rare. You see, the egg grows first and then the cuckoo hatches into a full grown cuckoo. Weird, right?" She giggled a little. "I'm just waiting till morning to talk to the guards again. If I tried now they'll get irritated with me and chase me out again."

Saharry felt bad for Malon. She was worried about her father coming home and she was all alone until he came back. Before Saharry could say another word, however, she heard a voice in the bushes.

"Ow! Dammit!"

Saharry and Malon both looked toward the bushes Saharry came out of moments ago.

"Link?"

Link brushed his tunic off and put his tiny sword away. "I opened my eyes and saw you gone, Lydia. Don't run off like that without telling me. You know how dangerous it can be out here." Link fixed his belt around his waist and noticed Saharry had been talking to another young girl.

"Lydia?" Malon looked at the two of them with confused eyes.

Saharry angled herself towards Malon and glared at Link. She got the idea and went along with it. "Since when do you worry about where I go or what I do? I thought I was nothing but a burden to you."

"I never said that," he said, glaring right back at her. Link looked at Malon with confused eyes. "Who are you?" he asked rudely.

"Uh…um…I'm Ma-"

"Her name's Malon and her father fell asleep in the castle on accident." Saharry interrupted Malon.

Malon smiled and nodded.

"And you want us to get him back?" Link asked unsurely.

"Oh, would you?" Malon exclaimed with utter happiness. She pushed the egg into Link's arms and gave him the biggest hug Saharry had ever seen. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Quiet down, you'll get us caught!" Link growled, stunned by her reaction.

"Okay," Malon began hastily. "You only have a certain amount of time to find my father since the guards change shifts in the morning. He should be lying around somewhere." Malon began pacing again, over excited. "Just take that blue egg and it should hatch by the morning, when it does it will most likely wake my father up."

"Most likely?" Link's eyebrow rose. "You can't just shake him awake?" he asked.

"No, he won't wake up unless it's on his own or one of his cuckoos wake him up. It's just how he's always has been since my mother passed away."

Link felt a bit guilty when she mentioned her mother and Saharry saw the rare sympathy in his face. "Okay, we'll do this, but if it doesn't work by morning, you can forget this deal."

Malon nodded with appreciation. "Thank you so much!" She shouted exuberantly.

Link and Saharry shushed Malon. "Okay, we need to find a way to get into the castle without going through the front gate, and Lydia, you're gonna have to help me look for one."

Saharry nodded. She felt a little intimidated by Link that moment. There was uncertainty in his voice and he seemed aggravated at the same time. Saharry wished Link had that softness to his voice like Roy did. But it seemed Link was carrying a lot on his shoulders. Just looking into his eyes, there was a story there, and she wanted to know about it.

* * *

End notes: Link seems to be the opposite of what a lot of people would think Link would act. I feel that he's a bit grumpy and irritated because Saharry is tagging along. Navi was sweet for letting her tag along but will Link ever soften up to Saharry before he finds a home for her to stay in? What will Saharry think when Link walks away from her and leaves her in the new town of Hyrule?

You'll have to find out in the next chapter!


End file.
